Nonotuck to Host Supported Decision Making Workshop
Jan 6, 2023, 10:36 AMThe Nonotuck community is invited to take part in an informative celebration of December’s Universal Human Rights month this Tuesday, January 10 at 11 a.m. “Supportive Decision Making Workshop With Bob Fleischner” will explore Supportive Decision Making (SDM), and the role Nonotuck has played in the innovative SDM pilot program.
Pareticipants are able to join the event with Microsoft Teams on January 10.
The Center for Public Representation (which Fleischner served as assistant director of until his retirement in 2018) and Nonotuck Resource Associates have an ongoing pilot project using SDM as an alternative to guardianship. Under the program, people under or at risk of guardianship design a system of support—including a SDM support team—to help them make decisions on their own.
To Nonotuck President/CEO George H. Fleischner, SDM fits in squarely with Nonotuck’s values. “A core value of ours is based on understanding the importance of authentic non-paid relationships,” George says. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to help people find and develop those relationships.”
Presenter Bio
Bob Fleischner retired in 2018 after more than 45 years as a legal aid lawyer, most as assistant director of the Center for Public Representation, a national public interest law firm which represents persons with disabilities. At CPR he tried cases and argued appeals in state and federal courts involving guardianship, prison conditions, juvenile justice reform, civil commitment, involuntary treatment, and the right to live in the community.
At CPR, together with Nonotuck Resource Associates, he co-directed one of the nation’s first supported decision-making pilot projects. Since his retirement he is a Senior Advisor to the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health and is the coordinator of an international group of disability advocates working to conform criminal justice systems to the requirements of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Lexis/Nexis published three editions of his co-authored book on Massachusetts guardianship law and he has written numerous journal articles and book chapters about disability and guardianship law. He has taught on the adjunct faculties of Western New England Law School and Smith College School for Social Work. Bob graduated from Boston College Law School in 1973.