DC Supported Decision-Making Agreement: How to Fill Out the SDMA Form

The Official Form and Where to Get It

The District of Columbia has an official Supported Decision-Making Agreement form published by the Department on Disability Services (DDS), developed in collaboration with Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities. It's available directly from DDS at dds.dc.gov.

This is the official model form for following D.C. Code §§ 7-2131 to 7-2134 (the Disability Services Reform Amendment Act of 2018, also cited as D.C. Law 22-93). Don't use templates from Maryland or Virginia — those states have different execution requirements, and a cross-border form won't hold up with D.C. providers or institutions.

Who Can Be a Supporter

Any adult can serve as a supporter in a D.C. SDMA, with two categories of disqualification:

Government findings of abuse or neglect. Anyone who has been found by a government agency to have committed abuse, neglect, or exploitation against the principal is disqualified.

Criminal convictions within seven years. Anyone convicted within the preceding seven years of offenses involving fraud, theft, or exploitation is disqualified. The supporter must formally affirm on the statutory form that they have no disqualifying convictions.

There's no limit on the number of supporters. A young adult can designate different supporters for different life areas — a parent for medical decisions, a sibling for financial matters, a trusted teacher for educational choices.

What the Supporter Can and Cannot Do

This is where families most often misunderstand the SDMA. A supporter has zero surrogate authority. They cannot:

• Sign contracts on behalf of the principal
• Bind the principal to legal obligations
• Make unilateral medical, housing, or financial decisions
• Override the principal's stated wishes

What a supporter can do:

• Help the principal obtain and understand relevant information
• Assist in evaluating options and consequences
• Communicate the principal's decisions to third parties (doctors, banks, schools)
• Accompany the principal to appointments and meetings

The principal retains all legal capacity. In every situation, the principal makes the final call.

Execution Requirements: Witnesses or Notary

To be legally valid, the SDMA must be:

1. In writing
2. Signed by the principal (the young adult making decisions)
3. Signed by all designated supporters
4. Attested by either:
   • Two adult witnesses, OR
   • A notary public

If using witnesses, neither witness can be the principal, a designated supporter, or anyone who could benefit directly from the agreement.

You don't need both witnesses and a notary — one or the other satisfies the statute. Most families find two witnesses simpler and cheaper.

When You Can Execute It

An SDMA can be executed immediately once the young adult turns 18. Unlike guardianship, there's no court filing, no hearing, no waiting period. If the principal understands the concept of choosing trusted supporters to help them gather and analyze information, they have sufficient capacity to sign.

This capacity threshold is deliberately lower than what's required for a power of attorney. A young adult who can understand "I'm choosing Mom to help me understand my medical options" meets the standard, even if they couldn't navigate a complex financial delegation.

Revocation

Either the principal or the supporter can modify or revoke the agreement at any time — verbally or in writing. There's no formal process, no court filing, no waiting period. The agreement is designed to be as flexible as possible.

If the principal revokes verbally, best practice is to follow up with written notice to any third parties (hospitals, banks, schools) who have a copy of the original agreement on file.

Third-Party Compliance

D.C. law requires third parties — medical providers, financial institutions, educational agencies — to honor decisions made using a valid SDMA. They can only refuse if they have "substantial cause" to believe the principal is being subjected to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

A third party that acts in good faith reliance on a valid SDMA is immune from civil liability, criminal prosecution, and professional disciplinary action. This immunity provision was specifically designed to address provider reluctance to accept SDMAs as legitimate authority documents.

If a supporter or third party suspects exploitation, D.C. law requires immediate reporting to Adult Protective Services.

SDMA vs. Other D.C. Tools

An SDMA doesn't replace a Health Care POA, Financial POA, or OSSE Educational Representative appointment — each covers different authority. Many families use an SDMA as the foundation and add targeted instruments where actual surrogate authority is needed.

The DC Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide includes an SDMA Preparation Checklist that walks through every section of the official form, identifies which supporters to designate for which domains, and maps the SDMA against the other instruments your young adult may need.

See more District of Columbia guides →