Cost Benefit Analysis of Supported Decision-Making (2014)
About the Program "Art. 12 – Next Step in Bulgaria (2012-2014)"
The present cost-benefit analysis is implemented within the Program “Art. 12 – Next Step in Bulgaria (2012-2014)". The pilot program started in October 2012 and is implemented by the partnering organizations Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL), Global Initiative in Psychiatry – Sofia (GIP), the Bulgarian Association of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (BAPID), and the National Organization of Mental Health Services Users (NOMHU). It is aiming at support of the practical application of the models for supported decision making in the country by covering of a minimum of 40 persons with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems. The main purpose of the project is to coordinate the activities of the partners within the program (testing approaches for supported decision making for persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities), as well to support the preparation of adequate legal mechanisms and regulations, that can guarantee ability of persons with disabilities to exercise their rights.
About the Cost Benefit Analysis of Supported Decision-Making
The present analysis is the first attempt to provide evidence that Supported Decision Making (SDM) as alternative to guardianship system is beneficial to both the persons with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems and the society not only in terms of non-monetized effect – increased QL and consistency win UNCRPD, but also from merely economic perspective. Regardless the scarce statistical data, the short period of time and the small scale of piloting SDM in Bulgaria, the authors of the report believe that at this initial stage of introducing SDM mechanisms the presented methodology, results and the conclusions in this initial cost-benefit analysis can serve as a basis for future research based on more exhaustive data at a more advanced stage of the process of advancing SDM in Bulgaria.
Cost Benefit Analysis of Supported Decision-Making (2014) – download