16 | New Year 2022 | BAEC Bulletin In the Public Service
CENTER FOR ELDER LAW & JUSTICE
Family Guardian Support Project Launches at the Center for Elder Law & Justice Recently, the topic of Guardianship has been a hot-button issue. From the termination of pop sensation Britney Spears’ thirteen- year-long conservatorship, to the fraud and abuse portrayed in the Netflix thriller “I Care A Lot,” the media can paint Guardianship as being overly restrictive and exploitative. While this may be the case in exceptional circumstances, the reality is that the institution of a Guardianship is vital to help incapacitated individuals manage their affairs and maintain their essentials of daily life. Once appointed, a Guardian has countless responsibilities and obligations related to caring for a person under Guardianship. This can be particularly daunting for individuals who do not have professional experience in managing someone else’s affairs, seen especially in cases where family members or friends are appointed as a Guardian for their loved ones (a so-called “Family Guardian”), under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law (“Article 81” Guardianship). In addition to managing the day-to-day affairs of their loved ones, Family Guardians must also complete annual reports regarding their loved one’s finances and personal affairs, navigate complicated governmental programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits, make complex medical decisions, and maintain their familial or social relationships. Despite these numerous and often time-consuming duties, most Guardians are required only to take one web-based training through the New York State Unified Court System’s Guardianship Assistance Network, which has offices in Brooklyn, NY. Further, once the final Order has been granted by the Court, there are typically no further proceedings, and the Family Guardian is often left to manage the affairs of their loved one on their own. To address this unmet need for support for Family Guardians, the Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ), through support from the Ralph Wilson Foundation and Foundation 214, is excited to announce the launch of the Family Guardian Support Project. This program draws from the professional experiences of CELJ’s Guardianship Unit, which serves as the court-appointed Guardian of the Person and/or Property of approximately 100 individuals at any given time.
BRADLEY LOLIGER Family Guardian Support Project Director, CELJ
CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS Staff Attorney, CELJ
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