Department of Health and Human Services Grant for Guardianship and Alternatives for People with Developmental Disabilities Report

This project will examine the role of guardianship and supported decision making in the lives of adults with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The report will examine systemic issues that undermine the ability of adults with disabilities to make decisions for themselves and experience what has been called the “dignity of risk.” This should include an examination of the over-use of guardianship which is sometimes based on the recommendations of teachers, counselors and other professionals in the education system as a child with disabilities approaches adulthood. Additionally, this report should attempt to determine the extent to which the use of guardianship promotes or undermines the goals of legislation that is relevant to the ID/DD community including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Developmental Disabilities Act (DD ACT), the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). A part of this evaluation will necessarily include conclusions regarding guardianship outcomes versus the outcomes that occur when other alternatives, such as supported decision-making, are used. The report should also, to the extent possible, address differences in the use and impact of guardianship on various populations within the ID/DD community, taking account of factors such as cultural, racial, ethnic and class issues as well as issues related to individuals who may have dual diagnosis such as intellectual disability and psychiatric disability. Finally, the Council would like the report to establish whether guardianships are on the rise in this population nationwide or if the number of guardianships is trending downward as alternatives to guardianship gain acceptance and are more widely utilized.

Pre-Solicitation Notice of Funding Opportunity for a Cooperative Agreement

The National Council on Disability (NCD) will seek proposals for a project which is intended to examine the role of guardianship and supported decision making in the lives of adults with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). This report will examine systemic issues that undermine the ability of adults with disabilities to make decisions for themselves and experience what has been called the “dignity of risk” as well as the alignment or misalignment of guardianship with the goals of the ADA and the DD Act. The report will examine the extent to which people with developmental disabilities are treated differently under states’ guardianship laws in contrast with others who may need decision making assistance. Finally, the report will assess the prevalence of guardianship for adults with DD and how the transition process required under IDEA leads to guardianship as an outcome or to alternatives to guardianship such as supported decision making. NCD expects this report to discuss whether alternatives to guardianship, including supported decision making, lead to better overall outcomes for people with ID/DD than traditional surrogate decision-making models such as guardianship and whether increasing the use of alternatives can achieve better outcomes

The estimated contract period is 7 months. NCD will distribute its Guardianship and Alternatives for People with Developmental Disabilities Notice of Funding Opportunity to interested parties on May 31, 2018. NCD will expect interested parties to submit their responses by COB (close of business) June 21, 2018. The Notice of Funding Opportunity will be available on grants.gov and ncd.gov.

This pre-solicitation notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a Notice of Funding Opportunity. This pre-solicitation notice does not commit the Government to contract for any work or services whatsoever. Further, the National Council on Disability is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the United States (U.S) Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this pre-solicitation notice. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S Government to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor grants.gov and ncd.gov sites for additional information.