Advocate for Self-Determination

Tom Nerney, a long-time advocate for people with developmental disabilities, is director and co-founder of The Center for Self-Determination in Ann Arbor, Michigan and author of Lost Lives. The Center for Self-Determination is a national effort to help individuals with disabilities, family members and professionals implement the principles of self-determination. Self-determination is based on five core principles that support the belief that all people have the right to choose where they will live, how they will live their lives and with whom they will share them. They have both the right and the responsibility to use their lives to contribute to their communities in meaningful ways. A key part of self-determination is having personal control over the resources allocated for their support.

Nerney encourages people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them to take their rightful place as advocacy leaders in their communities.

Click here to access a successful example of self-determination.

- Based on information found at http://www.self-determination.com/publications/principles.html, http://www.thearcoftexas.org/Conferences/Arc_Conference/2004Conf.html.