Statement from Able South Carolina, March 16, 2026
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced a new agreement with the Department of Justice that will allow federal attorneys to pursue guardianship or conservatorship for certain veterans who are deemed unable to make their own medical decisions and who lack family or representation.
Able South Carolina, a Center for Independent Living and disability-led organization serving people with disabilities across our state, is deeply troubled by this development. As an organization founded on the principle that disabled people must lead the policies and decisions that shape our lives, we are profoundly concerned about the implications this has for the rights, independence, and community inclusion of people with disabilities in South Carolina.
Guardianship is not a support service. It is one of the most restrictive legal interventions that can be imposed on a person. When guardianship is established, individuals can lose fundamental rights, including the ability to make decisions about their healthcare, finances, where they live, and how they live their daily lives.
For veterans who have fought and bled for this country, the prospect of losing these basic freedoms should give all of us pause.
Too often, systems respond to disability, isolation, or crisis by removing decision-making power rather than providing meaningful support. Veterans who are struggling do not need their autonomy taken away. They need access to housing, peer support, community-based services, and the tools that allow them to live independently and make their own choices.
Able South Carolina believes that people with disabilities, including disabled veterans, have the right to direct their own lives. Our work is grounded in the Independent Living philosophy, which prioritizes dignity, self-direction, and community-based support over control and institutional responses that take away a person’s freedom.
If the federal government truly wants to support veterans with disabilities, it must prioritize solutions that preserve civil rights and strengthen independence. That means investing in services and supports that help veterans remain connected to their communities while maintaining control over their own lives.
Veterans served our country in defense of freedom. They deserve policies that respect and protect their rights here at home. They deserve that very freedom to make their own decisions.
Able South Carolina will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the autonomy, dignity, and civil rights of people with disabilities, including disabled veterans.
To learn more about alternatives to guardianship, visit scsupporteddecisionmaking.org.
