Listen Now to Episode 13 – Free the Britneys

Episode 13 of the #BuildingBuchanan is fresh out!

In this episode, Colette interviewed Jonathan Martinis, legendary legal expert and advocate of supported decision-making. A recent Time Magazine article published on 6/25/21 shared Britney Spear’s testimony about her experience with conservatorship. It was revealed that her rights to manage her own money had been taken away years ago and the pop star is now fighting to have her rights restored. He shared his thoughts and perspective on the  trending news story about popular music star and how it relates to not only people with disabilities, but society as a whole.

Have a listen below or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform (links below)!

Podcast Links

• Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University
• Huffington Post Article: Britney Spears Is Far From The Only Person Locked In A Conservatorship Nightmare
  Link: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/britney-spears-conservatorship-disability-rights_n_60d4ba8ae4b053314757997f
• Supported Decision-Making Materials developed by the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council in collaboration with Jonathan Martinis
  Link: https://moddcouncil.org/resources/supported-decision-making/
• Missouri SB806 (referenced in Podcast)
  Before appointing a guardian or conservator, the court is required to consider less restrictive alternatives, including SDM Agreements. It was signed by the Governor 6/1/2018 and took effect on 8/28/18.
  Link to the bill http://www.senate.mo.gov/18info/pdf-bill/tat/SB806.pdf 
• Missouri’s Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders
  Link: https://www.mo-wings.org/
• National Resource Center on Supported Decision-Making
  Link: http://www.supporteddecisionmaking.org/
• TRANSCRIPT: Building Buchanan Podcast Episode 13 (PDF)

About our Guest

Jonathan Martinis is the Senior Director for Law and Policy for the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, leading it’s efforts to ensure that older adults and people with disabilities have access to the services and supports they need to lead independent, inclusive lives.

In 2013, Jonathan represented Margaret “Jenny” Hatch in the “Justice for Jenny” case – the first trial to hold that a person has the right to use Supported Decision-Making to make her own life choices instead of being subjected to a permanent, plenary guardianship. Since then, Jonathan has led SDM projects in New York, Ohio, California, Virginia, Vermont, Missouri, and Kansas. He has also educated and trained tens of thousands of older adults, people with disabilities, families, and professionals across the country on SDM theory and practice. Jonathan has written or co-written over 40 publications on SDM, including the first textbook and first theory-to-practice guidebook on the subject.