Supported Decision Making Arizona
What Arizona's SDM Law Actually Says
Arizona formally recognized Supported Decision-Making Agreements in 2024 through Senate Bill 1291 (effective January 1, 2024) and House Bill 2174 (effective March 29, 2024). The statute lives at A.R.S. §§ 14-5721 to 14-5722.
An SDMA lets an adult with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities voluntarily designate trusted people — "supporters" — to help them make decisions. The supporters help gather information, understand options, and communicate decisions to doctors, schools, and financial institutions.
The fundamental distinction from every other tool in Arizona's disability-transition toolkit: the decision-maker retains full legal authority. The supporter assists; they don't decide. They cannot sign documents, cannot bind the person to contracts, cannot make choices on their behalf. The adult remains the decision-maker in every legal sense.
Execution Requirements
An SDMA must be signed by both the decision-maker and the supporter. The signing must happen in the presence of either:
- A notary public, OR
- Two subscribing witnesses who are at least 18 years old
The witness or notary must affirm that the principal appeared to be of sound mind and free from duress or coercion at the time of signing. Unlike a durable power of attorney, you don't need both a notary and a witness — one or the other is sufficient.
The Arizona Department of Economic Security publishes the official SDMA form (Form DDD-2279A). Use the state form. Third-party templates that don't track the statutory language create acceptance problems with institutions that check for specific statutory references.
Supporter Duties and Limits
Supporters stand in a fiduciary relationship with the decision-maker. Under the statute, they must:
- Act in good faith and with loyalty
- Avoid conflicts of interest
- Respect the decision-maker's preferences, even when they disagree
Supporters are legally prohibited from receiving any compensation — direct or indirect — for their services. This is an unpaid role, designed to be filled by family members, friends, or trusted community members who are already part of the person's life.
What a supporter can do: help the decision-maker understand a medical treatment option, sit in on an IEP meeting to take notes, explain a bank statement, accompany the person to a benefits appointment, or help communicate a decision to a healthcare provider.
What a supporter cannot do: sign a lease, consent to surgery, withdraw money from a bank account, or make any decision for the person — even "in their best interest."
Free Download
Get the Arizona — Turning 18 Legal Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
Institutional Acceptance
The most common objection families raise: "Will the hospital actually honor this?" Arizona's statute answers with a safe harbor provision. Under A.R.S. § 14-5722, medical providers, educational institutions, and financial institutions that rely on a properly executed SDMA in good faith are protected from civil liability.
In practice, acceptance can depend on whether frontline staff have encountered an SDMA before. Rural hospitals and smaller clinics may need to see the statutory citation. Bring a copy of the statute with your SDMA to help explain the safe-harbor provision.
SDM vs. Guardianship
The comparison matters because Arizona courts now require families to demonstrate they've considered less-restrictive alternatives before granting a guardianship petition under A.R.S. § 14-5304. An SDMA is the least restrictive option on the spectrum.
| SDM Agreement | Guardianship | |
|---|---|---|
| Civil rights impact | None — all rights retained | Strips some or all civil rights depending on order |
| Cost | Execution costs only | $600–$850+ in court costs before attorney fees |
| Court involvement | None | Mandatory petition, hearing, investigator |
| Annual reporting | None | Annual report to the court required |
| Who decides | The adult | The guardian |
| Terminability | Either party, any time in writing | Requires court petition |
The SDMA works when your adult child can make decisions with help — when the limiting factor is information processing, communication, or organizational support rather than the ability to form and express preferences. If the person cannot participate in decisions at all, even with a supporter present, an SDMA isn't sufficient and a limited guardianship may be necessary.
When SDM Ends
An SDMA terminates automatically if: either party revokes it in writing, the adult is declared incapacitated under A.R.S. § 14-5101, a court appoints a guardian under Title 14, or the supporter is subject to a substantiated finding of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
The ability to revoke at any time is intentional — it reinforces that the decision-maker is always in control. If the relationship with a supporter deteriorates, the person tears up the agreement and appoints a new supporter or goes without one.
The Arizona Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide includes the full decision framework for evaluating whether an SDMA, power of attorney, or court-ordered guardianship fits your family's situation — with worksheets that help you document the analysis courts expect to see.
Get Your Free Arizona — Turning 18 Legal Checklist
Download the Arizona — Turning 18 Legal Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.