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In terms of healthcare decision-making, an important alternative to guardianship
is a Healthcare Power of Attorney, which allows parents to participate in

healthcare decision-making for their young adult with special needs without
guardianship. Links to relevant forms, resources, and contacts are listed below.

Forms

Sample Healthcare Power of Attorney & Advance Directive Forms
 American Academy of Family Practitioners (AAFP)–Advance Directive/Power of Attorney:
www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0201/p617.html

 NJ Department of Health–Palliative and End of Life Care: What is an Advance Directive
(see Healthcare Proxy): www.state.nj.us/health/advancedirective/whatis.shtml
 Disability Rights Idaho–“Self Advocacy Guide to Guardianship” (see Chapter 2):
www.disabilityrightsidaho.org/images/content/docs/Self-Advocacy%20Guide%20to%
20Guardianships.pdf

Resources
Alternatives to Guardianship Resources
 SPAN: spanadvocacy.org/content/supported-decision-making-and-alternatives-
guardianship / (800) 654-SPAN (7726)
 Alternatives to Guardianship: ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transition/
NewsletterVol5_Iss3_text.pdf

 Guardianship-Family Options (see Power of Attorney): nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/
services/guardianship
 Guardianship & Alternatives to Guardianship: www.ridlc.org/media/publications/ridlc-
guardianship-booklet.pdf
 Guardianship and Its Alternatives (see Chapter 3): mcdd.kennedykrieger.org/guardianship-
and-its-alternatives-handbook-2011.pdf
 Thinking about Guardianship?: www.gcdd.org/images/Reports/guardianship%20guide%
20-%20gcdd.pdf
 SPAN: Transition materials for health care practitioners, including power of attorney for
medical decisions, can be found at www.spannj.org/keychanges/
TransitionResourcesHealthPractitioners.pdf

Helpful Contacts

 Centers for Independent Living (CILs): CILs maximize the skills needed for independent
living, the supports needed to achieve this goal, and the potential of individuals who may
not live independently. County CILs can be found at www.njsilc.org
 SPAN Family Voices/Family-to-Family Health Information Center:
www.spanadvocacy.org/content/family-family-health-information-center-family-voices-nj
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