Building Dignity of Risk: The Impact of Choice on Quality of Life for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

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There is dignity in making choices, accepting the associated risks, and learning from those choices—a concept called Dignity of Risk. In relation to supporting adults with developmental disabilities, Dignity of Risk is a person-centered framework that promotes self-determination. It is about supporting the person to make the decisions that they want to make, while staying safe. Based on findings from academic literature, this presentation will cover what Dignity of Risk is, how it is connected to quality of life, and suggestions for how to support it. 

Caitlin Bartley graduated from Lincoln University in 2015 with a BSW and a BS in Psychology. She attended graduate school at the MU School of Social Work, where she concentrated in Policy, Planning, and Administration. After graduating with an MSW degree in 2017, she accepted a position with the Missouri Division of Developmental Disabilities as their NCI Project Coordinator. 

Cait is in her final year in the PhD program with the MU School of Social Work. Her research focus is on ways to support the Dignity of Risk of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This includes understanding how individuals feel about Dignity of Risk and educating disability professionals on the importance of supporting individual decision-making. This summer, Cait will also be teaching a course on Disability Advocacy for MSW students through the MU School of Social Work. 

When she is not working or studying, Cait enjoys spending time with family and her three dogs, Ruby, Gretchen, and Kash.