A Statement of Common Principles on Life Sustaining Care and Treatment of People with Disabilities

[Guest guest]

Individuals,

as well as organizations, can read and/or endorse the following statement if

they choose, at:

WEBSITE:

http://thechp.syr.edu/endorse

A

STATEMENT OF COMMON PRINCIPLES

ON LIFE-SUSTAINING CARE AND

TREATMENT

OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

WHEREAS:

All people have fundamental human, civil, and

constitutional rights.

Among these fundamental rights are the rights to

life-sustaining care and treatment and to self-determination and

autonomy.

These rights must not be sacrificed because a

person has a cognitive, psychiatric, emotional, developmental,

intellectual, sensory, or physical disability.

People acting as surrogates for persons who are

limited in their ability to exercise self-determination and autonomy must

never sacrifice the fundamental rights of those persons and must always

act in accord with the rights and best interests of those with limited

ability.

AND WHEREAS:

Disability is a natural part of the human

condition.

Historically, people with disabilities have been

subjected to prejudice and discrimination.

Disability has been used as a justification for

depriving people of their fundamental rights.

Children and adults with significant disabilities

have been especially vulnerable to violations of their fundamental rights,

including the denial of access to life-sustaining care and treatment, such

as routine medical treatment and food and fluids.

People may be capable of exercising their right

to self-determination and autonomy in some situations and not in others.

People who do not have disabilities may not be

able to anticipate what their wishes would be if and when they become

disabled.

When people are capable of making decisions

regarding life-sustaining care and treatment, their informed decisions

must be respected.

For people who are limited in their ability to

exercise their right to self-determination and autonomy with respect to

life-sustaining care and treatment, family members, friends, or legally

authorized surrogates can help them to make informed decisions about such

matters as long as these decisions do not threaten their lives.

THEREFORE:

In fulfillment of fundamental rights and in recognition of

the historical treatment of people with disabilities in society:

People with disabilities are entitled to exercise

their rights to life-sustaining care and treatment and to

self-determination and autonomy.

Absent clear and convincing evidence of the

desires of people with disabilities to decline life-sustaining care or

treatment, such care and treatment should not be withheld or withdrawn

unless death is genuinely imminent and the care or treatment is

objectively futile and would only prolong the dying process.

For the limited number of people who have

lifelong cognitive disabilities and who have never had the ability to

exercise self-determination regarding life-sustaining care and treatment,

such care and treatment should not be withheld or withdrawn unless death

is genuinely imminent and the care or treatment is objectively futile and

would only prolong the dying process.

When doubt exists as to whether to provide

life-sustaining care and treatment a presumption must always be made in

favor of providing such care and treatment.

ORGANIZATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS OF

A STATEMENT OF COMMON PRINCIPLES

ON LIFE-SUSTAINING CARE AND TREATMENT

OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

As of August 1, 2006 43

organizations have endorsed this statement.

Access Living of

Metropolitan Chicago

Chicago, IL

The Advocacy Board

Syracuse, NY

American Disabled for

Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT)

Denver, CO & Austin, TX

ADAPT Delaware

Newark, DE

ADAPT Montana and Not Dead Yet Montana

Missoula, MT

American Association of People with Disabilities

Washington, DC

The Arc of

County

Oak Ridge, TN

The Arc of Bismarck

Bismarck, ND

The Arc of Colorado

Greenwood Village, CO

The Arc of Illinois

Homewood, IL

The Arc of Livingston

Howell, MI

The Arc of the United States

Silver Spring, MD

The Arc of York

County

York, PA

The Arc Michigan

Lansing, MI

Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee (BCCC)

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY

Center for Disability

Rights, Inc.

Rochester, NY

Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY

Chicago ADAPT

Chicago, IL

Coalition of Citizens

with Disabilities in Illinois

Springfield, IL

Coalition of Texans

with Disabilities

Austin, TX

disabled Action

committee

Dale City, VA

Disabled Rights

Alliance

, BC, Canada

Enhance, Inc.

Farmington Hills, MI

Euthanasia Prevention

Coalition - Canada

London, Ontario

-Hammis

Associates, LLC

Middletown, OH and Florence, MT

Illinois Network of

Centers for Independent Living

Springfield, IL

Institute on Disability and Human Development

University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, IL

JP Das Developmental

Disabilities Centre

Edmonton, Alberta

Katrina Disability

Relief Information Project

West Bloomfield, MI

Middle Tenneessee

Advocacy Center

Murfreesboro, TN

Mouth Magazine

Topeka, MS

National Council on Independent Living

Arlington, VA

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Bethesda, MD

North Fulton County

Arc of Georgia

Roswell, GA

Not Dead Yet

Forest Park, IL

Progress Center for

Independent Living

Forest Park, IL

Public Interest Law

Firm (PILF)

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY

Reel Life: A

Disability Film Festival

Dearborn, MI

Self-Advocates

Becoming Empowered

Washington, DC

Spinal Cord Injury

Network International

Santa , CA

TASH

Baltimore, MD

United Spinal

Association

Heights, NY

How Individuals

Can Endorse A Statement of Common Principles on Life-Sustaining Care

and Treatment of People with Disabilities

How

Organizations Can Endorse A

Statement of Common Principles on Life-Sustaining Care and Treatment of People

with Disabilities