Supported Decision-Making

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What is a formal Supported Decision-Making agreement? This is an agreement that is filed with the court to allow an individual to regain or retain their rights with the help of others they choose. This help can be in the form of financial, school, legal, work, housing or medical advice and is less restrictive than assigning a Power of Attorney or Guardianship. A SDM agreement will allow this person to make every day-to-day decisions for themselves with the safety net of named advisors. The advisors should make the choices easy to understand, usually discussing pros and cons to help the individual make the best decision for their situation.

​Achieva Resources has had the first individual in Indiana to regain her rights and use a formal Supported Decision Making agreement. On June 13th Jamie Beck regained her rights, Congratulations Jamie!

​Achieva Resources would like to thank Justin Schrock and Melissa Keyes with Indiana Disability Rights, Erica Costello with the Indiana Supreme Court, Pat Masters (previous Adult Protective Services Director), Karen Fisher with Indiana Professional Management Group (IPMG) as Case Manager, and the Honorable Gregory A. Horn with Superior Court 2 Wayne County Courts.   Without these individuals, Jamie might not have been as successful.

Congratulations Jamie!
The Jamie Beck Story

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Jamie Beck lived with her mother and step father in Economy, IN.  In 2009, Her mother passed away and then her father passed away in 2012.  She was found walking late at night in the neighborhood.  When APS arrived, they found out that Jamie did not have any family.  Achieva was contacted and Judge Kolger gave Achieva Resources emergency and then permanent guardianship.  Jamie was placed in a nursing home temporarily until proper facilities could be found for her.

Jamie did not need a nursing home and was more capable than most of the residents.  She helped the other residents at meal time and with fun activities as well as in the cafeteria. Achieva was eventually able to secure her Medicaid Waver.
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New Home and Work
Gaining the Medicaid Waiver allowed Jamie to move out of the nursing home and into a Supported Living Home, in Richmond and to start work at Benchmark’s Workshop to earn a little spending money.  Jamie was a strong worker, earning between $350-$400 every two weeks.

About a year later, Jamie decided she wanted to get a job in the community.  With help from Achieva, Jamie drafted a resume.  After completing her school work at Hagerstown High School, she took her resume all over Richmond and did not get an interview.   After connecting with the local mayor, Jamie received an invitation to come and speak before the City Council.  Jamie told the Council that people like her were really unable to get a job in the community because they are never really given a chance if they only had a Certificate of Completion.  There were two councilmen that said, “Jamie, if you get me your resume tomorrow, I will help you.” And then Jamie piped up, “I have it right here!” The next day she got a phone call asking her to come to Pizza King for an interview.  She interviewed. and they hired her on the spot. 

Exploring and Learning
As time went on, Jamie wanted a job with benefits that would pay what her three part-time positions were paying. Jamie visited the Erskine Green Training Institute in Muncie. Jamie checked out all of the classes they offer, shadowed a few people, then chose environmental services. Through Erskine Green, Jamie learned to clean the patient’s rooms at Ball Memorial Hospital and how to do the job well.  Once she completed her program Ball Memorial hired her immediately. 

Moving to New City
Jamie had a great caseworker that helped her find a potential housemate. They spent a time together to make sure they could live in the same apartment. On May 14, Jamie moved from the Supported Living Group Home in Richmond to an apartment close to the hospital, in Muncie, with a housemate.  
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Jamie has won a couple of awards for her perserverance and advocacy work, including the ARC of Indiana’s Self-Advocate of the Year and INARF's Justin Dar Award.  Sharing her experiences is a passion for Jamie, as she wants to see even more of her peers continue to grow and develop to accomplish their own dreams.

Supported Decision Making
Currently, Jamie has a Supported Decision Making team that assist her in making decisions and choices, but Jamie makes really good choices.  We are very proud to have Jamie as the first person in Indiana that will be using a formal Support Decision Making agreement.
Achieva Resources Corporation, Inc., P.O. Box 1252, 800 Mendleson Drive, Richmond, Indiana  47375
Phone: 765-966-0502    Fax: 765-373-9209