Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY)

What Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY) does

Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY) is a non-profit service organization founded in 2016 that provides Supported Decision-Making (SDM) facilitation to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in New York State, as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship. Operating as a consortium of Hunter College/CUNY, the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, and The Arc Westchester, SDMNY has enrolled more than 135 Decision-Makers across diverse sites (NYC, Albany/Capital Region, Long Island, Rochester/Western NY, Westchester) and runs facilitated processes for the creation of legally recognized Supported Decision-Making Agreements (SDMAs) under New York's Mental Hygiene Law Article 82.

SDMNY's core offering is a proprietary 3-Phase Facilitation Model in which Decision-Makers and their chosen Supporters work with trained Facilitators under the supervision of experienced Mentors to build decision-making capacity and culminate in a formal SDMA. The organization also delivers a Training of Facilitators (TOF) program (approximately 300 facilitators trained across 15+ cohorts since 2017), standardized SDMA templates vetted through stakeholder input, and a suite of educational resources including Easy Read materials in English and Spanish, training videos, and a Mediation Module for ADR providers. Operationally, SDMNY uses a statewide service delivery data management system built in partnership with eVero (2025) to track Decision-Makers, facilitation processes, and outcomes.

The business model is grant-funded and free to end users. Revenue comes from government grants (a 5-year DDPC pilot grant 2016-2021, a 3-year OPWDD implementation grant starting in late 2022), bridge funding from private foundations (Ford Foundation, The FAR Fund, The Taft Foundation, The New York Community Trust), and the recent statewide delivery role played by AIM Services (the statewide provider of SDM facilitation as of March 2026). Distribution is multi-channel: a Partner Agency Network (15+ executed contracts), 3 Care Coordination Organizations, a Private Bar mini-pilot, and independent facilitators. The organization operates with a small core staff of approximately 5 (Director Naomi Brickel, Associate Director Joan Cornachio, and specialized roles) supplementing a network of Mentors and Facilitators. An independent Stout Risius Ross analysis found a $2.75 return per $1 invested in facilitated SDM, and the organization has been recognized by UN DESA, AAIDD, ACR-GNY, and the National Guardianship Summit.

Name

Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY)

Legal name

Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY)

Website

https://sdmny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SDMNY is a New York-based non-profit providing Supported Decision-Making facilitation services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 2016 as a Hunter College/CUNY consortium, it operates a proprietary 3-phase facilitation model, trains facilitators statewide, and enables legally recognized SDMA creation under New York's Mental Hygiene Law Article 82.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: SDMNY is primarily funded through government grants, including a 5-year DDPC grant (2016-2021) and a 3-year OPWDD grant for designing and piloting a statewide facilitation service delivery system.
2. Foundation Funding: Funding from private foundations including Ford Foundation, The FAR Fund, The Taft Foundation, and The New York Community Trust to support operations and specific initiatives like the cost/benefit analysis by Stout Risius Ross.
3. Statewide Facilitation Services: As of March 2026, AIM Services is the statewide provider of SDM facilitation in New York, expanding access across the state through OPWDD-funded services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SDMNY provides Supported Decision-Making (SDM) facilitation services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in New York State, guiding them through a structured 3-phase facilitation process with trained facilitators and mentors to produce legally recognized Supported Decision-Making Agreements (SDMAs) as alternatives to guardianship. The organization also trains facilitators, develops educational resources (videos, Easy Read materials, handbooks), and operates a statewide service delivery system in partnership with provider agencies, Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs), and the private bar.

Product overview

SDMNY is a nonprofit consortium of Hunter College/CUNY, the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, and The Arc Westchester that provides Supported Decision-Making (SDM) facilitation services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The core offering is the 3-Phase SDM Facilitation Process, which pairs Decision-Makers with trained facilitators and mentors to develop Supported Decision-Making Agreements (SDMAs). SDMNY also provides Training of Facilitators (TOF) programs, develops educational resources including videos, Easy Read materials, and handbooks, and operates a data management system. In 2024, SDMNY facilitated 51 new Decision-Makers, trained 65 new facilitators, and oversaw 66 active facilitations. The organization played a leading role in passing New York's groundbreaking SDMA law (Mental Hygiene Law Article 82) and is building a statewide facilitation delivery system in partnership with OPWDD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3-Phase SDM Facilitation Service Structured facilitation service in which Decision-Makers with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their chosen Supporters learn about and practice Supported Decision-Making with trained facilitators supported by experienced mentors, culminating in a formal Supported Decision-Making Agreement (SDMA). Delivered free of charge to individuals and their families across New York State.
• Training of Facilitators (TOF) Comprehensive multi-modal facilitator training program delivered through asynchronous classroom modules, live virtual sessions, and a Facilitator Manual, preparing participants to provide Supported Decision-Making facilitation services to Decision-Makers across New York State.
• Supported Decision-Making Agreement (SDMA) Template Comprehensive agreement template outlining the Decision-Maker's chosen areas of support, designated Supporters, and specific types of support desired. The template can be customized while ensuring statutory compliance and is legally recognized when produced through SDMNY's facilitated process.
• Mediation Training Module for ADR Providers Training materials developed for mediators and alternative dispute resolution providers to resolve conflicts arising from SDMAs and effectively provide ADR services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• For every $1 invested in facilitated SDM, New York could realize annual cost savings of $2.75 (Stout Risius Ross analysis)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• AIM ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 March 2026Now the statewide provider of SDM facilitation in New York as of March 2026, marking an exciting milestone in expanding access to Supported Decision-Making across the state.
• Support-Girona Foundation (Catalonia, Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025International partner that reached out to SDMNY after being jointly named with SDMNY in UN report. Hosted Director Naomi Brickel at international human rights conference 'Dignified Lives' in March 2025, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024One of three federally-funded University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) in NY. Conducted independent evaluation of SDMNY facilitation impact on 20 transition-age Decision-Makers, validating the 3-phase model.
• Adapt Community NetworkmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2023Partner agency in NYC that will promote SDM and SDMNY facilitation to their client base and send employees to be trained as facilitators.
• Catholic Guardian ServicesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2023Partner agency in NYC joining the agency partnership pilot to provide SDM facilitation services.
• ACMNYmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2023Self-direction brokerage organization on Long Island joining the agency partnership pilot for SDM facilitation.
• Future Centered CareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2023Private care planning and management entity partnering with SDMNY for facilitation services.
• Stout Risius Ross, LLCminorOthers · 21 February 2023Commissioned independent cost/benefit analysis that found $2.75 savings per $1 invested in facilitated SDM. Respected global investment and advisory firm with expertise in social justice issues including access to justice.
• People's Arc (formerly AHRC Suffolk)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Partner agency that embraced SDM and joined the SDM community, training 5 facilitators. Cultural transformation inspired by SDMNY's work led to organizational name change to reflect commitment to inclusive, community-driven environment.
• Disability Rights New York (DRNY)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021Partner organization that provides legal representation for guardianship termination cases. Represented Bobby Terry in first SDMNY restoration and Louis in Queens County case.
• Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Convened geographically diverse groups of people with DD for focus groups to vet SDMA legislation principles, ensuring self-advocate voice in policy development.
• NYS Parent to ParentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Convened six focus groups of parents (including Spanish language group) to vet SDMA legislation principles.
• Outside Voices Theatre Company (OVTC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Produced training and educational videos for SDMNY including 'Supporterman vs. The Substituter', 'Out to Lunch', and 'What do people get wrong about me?' that explain SDM in compelling ways.
• Hunter College/CUNYcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Lead institution and founding consortium member of SDMNY. Hosts the project at its campus and provides institutional support through the Research Foundation of CUNY.
• New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation (formerly NYSACRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Founding consortium member - a statewide association of provider agencies that helped design and pilot SDM and SDMAs, expanding from original NYC site to sites statewide.
• The Arc WestchestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Founding consortium member that partnered with SDMNY for pilot implementation in Westchester region.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN): National membership association for the federally funded Protection & Advocacy (P&A) and Client Assistance Programs (CAP) in every U.S. state. Operates as the federal-level counterpart to DRNY, with comparable guardianship reform and SDM advocacy work.
• The Arc of the United States: National federation of state and local chapters serving people with I/DD, including through advocacy, services, and family support. The Arc Westchester is a founding SDMNY consortium member, making the national Arc the closest analogue at the federation level for SDMNY's mission and family-facing positioning.
• ANCOR (American Network of Community Options and Resources): National trade association for I/DD service providers, including many of SDMNY's partner agencies (Adapt Community Network, Catholic Guardian Services, ARC Westchester). Comparable mission in scaling person-centered, self-determination-oriented supports for the I/DD population.

Direct peers

• Center for Public Representation: National disability rights legal organization that has litigated guardianship reform and supported decision-making cases. Operates in the same legal-capacity and Olmstead advocacy space as SDMNY and shares the CRPD-aligned framework.
• Disability Rights New York (DRNY): New York's federally funded Protection & Advocacy system for people with disabilities; an active SDMNY implementation partner that has represented SDMNY Decision-Makers in guardianship termination cases. Operates in the same I/DD legal-capacity space and shares the same regulatory and legislative ecosystem.
• Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS): Statewide self-advocate led organization for people with I/DD; a current SDMNY strategic partner that convened focus groups vetting SDMA legislation. Shares the empowerment and self-determination mission and overlapping membership base.
• Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities: DC-based nonprofit advocating for self-determination and alternatives to guardianship for people with I/DD and other disabilities. Comparable scope: facilitating supported decision-making, parent mentoring, and policy advocacy; SDMNY's NY model is often cited alongside Quality Trust.
• AIM Services: NY-based I/DD services provider that is now the statewide provider of SDM facilitation as of March 2026. Directly delivers the SDMNY facilitation model at scale across NY State and is the operational vehicle translating SDMNY's pilot into a statewide service.
• Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD): Federally funded UCEDD serving people with developmental disabilities; conducted the independent evaluation of SDMNY's 3-phase model and is a current strategic partner. Comparable in serving NY I/DD populations through clinical, educational, and research activities.

Emerging players

• Burton Blatt Institute (Syracuse University): Syracuse University center advancing the rights of people with disabilities, including through research, technology, and policy. Comparable as a NY-based academic-affiliated entity working on disability rights, employment, and self-determination outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/supported-decision-making-new-york-sdmny

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY)