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Arlington advocates plan town hall and follow-up as practitioners test new SDM pathways
Summary
Committee members and attendees discussed a local Arlington town hall, efforts to educate judges and providers about SDM, and an ongoing Arlington family case testing the 2024 informal court communication pathway; organizers urged continued training and civic engagement.
Participants used the Q&A to press on practical implementation and upcoming public engagement. Sherry (a meeting participant) flagged an Arlington town hall and a free virtual workshop about transition to adulthood; Lucy and Sarah encouraged families to raise these issues with legislators and to share experiences from the local Arlington case testing the informal court communication route.
Lucy said the new 2024 provision has encountered judicial uncertainty; she described plans for a 2026 debrief to identify training gaps and "where did we find potholes?" and recommended more judicial education on SDM. She also previewed a 2026 General Assembly bill addressing unnecessary removal of voting rights in guardianship orders and named Senator Barbara Favola as carrying related measures.
Organizers closed the meeting with reminders about upcoming DD committee dates, links to the resources discussed, and an offer to share slides and materials. Attendees were encouraged to participate in the Arlington town hall and to bring SDM and restoration questions to legislators.
