For Immediate Release
06/24/2021
Contact: David Card
202.408.9514 x122
[email protected]
WASHINGTON, DC – During the week of May 10, 2021, the National Guardianship Network, with the support of the State Justice Institute, the Borchard Foundation Center on Law and Aging, and the Syracuse University College of Law, brought together 125 advocates, family guardians, judges, lawyers, scholars, and other stakeholders for the Fourth National Guardianship Summit. These participants gathered virtually for four days to discuss the current state of the nation’s adult guardianship system and develop recommendations for reform and improvement around the theme of maximizing autonomy and ensuring accountability.
At the conclusion of the summit, delegates approved 22 final recommendations to improve and reform the adult guardianship system in the United States.
Six working groups convened during the week to address the rights of persons subject to guardianship; supporting decision-making; limited guardianship, protective arrangements, and diverting guardianship pipelines; rethinking monitoring and addressing abuse by guardians; fiduciary responsibilities and tensions; and developing guardianship court improvement programs.
On the final day of the summit, participants discussed, debated, and amended the recommendations offered by the working groups. Seventy-five summit participants serving as delegates for National Guardianship Network members and other sponsoring organizations then voted to adopt the recommendations developed by each working group.
The National Guardianship Network hopes the recommendations will guide reform efforts in the states, along with federal support, to improve oversight and accountability of guardian system, and reduce many unnecessary and overly broad guardianships. The National Guardianship Network members will take steps to assist its members and other organizations work to achieve the recommendations over the coming month and years.
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
