JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.11/themes/base/jquery-ui.css">
<script src="http://knockoutjs.com/downloads/knockout-2.2.1.js"></script>
<input id="dt_dec_date" data-bind="datepicker: decisionDate, datepickerOptions: { maxDate: new Date() }" />

JavaScript

ko.bindingHandlers.datepicker = {
    init: function(element, valueAccessor, allBindingsAccessor) {
        var $el = $(element);
        
        //initialize datepicker with some optional options
        var options = allBindingsAccessor().datepickerOptions || {};
        $el.datepicker(options);

        //handle the field changing
        ko.utils.registerEventHandler(element, "change", function() {
            var observable = valueAccessor();
            observable($el.datepicker("getDate"));
        });

        //handle disposal (if KO removes by the template binding)
        ko.utils.domNodeDisposal.addDisposeCallback(element, function() {
            $el.datepicker("destroy");
        });

    },
    update: function(element, valueAccessor) {
        var value = ko.utils.unwrapObservable(valueAccessor()),
            $el = $(element),
            current = $el.datepicker("getDate");
        
        if (value - current !== 0) {
            $el.datepicker("setDate", value);   
        }
    }
};

var viewModel = {
    decisionDate: ko.observable(new Date("08/15/2014"))
};

ko.applyBindings(viewModel);