Guardianship Corp

What We Do

Guardian of Property, Person or both

Guardianships are appointed either for person or property, or both.

Guardians of person focus on a person's welfare and safety, where they will live, what services they need and to make decisions about health care and advanced directives. Personal Guardianship services include ensuring for client shelter, food, clothing, general safety, medical appointments and related health care and social needs.

Guardianship of property is focused on the person's financial holdings: real estate, bank accounts, retirement accounts, other personal possessions, applying for benefits including Social Security, Disability and/or Medicaid. Property Guardianship services include managing the individual’s property or income, applying for Social Security, Pensions and other benefits, and maintaining their general financial affairs.

Once appointed by the Court, Guardianship Corp staff ensure that each clients’ individual needs are met through a comprehensive assessment and service plan development, regular visits, and timely reporting to the Court. All services are provided to ensure each clients well being and maximum independence.

General Services

Guardianship Corp Staff are responsible for all functions:

1. Administrative

a. Attend all Court appearances and conferences.

b. Obtain commission and maintain files for each client. Complete all required initial and annual reporting to the Courts related to each specific Ward or any other communication with the Court.

c. Act as the authorizing Agent for clients whether for health care, advanced directives or financial purposes.

d. Ensure all client related paperwork is attended to in a timely manner to ensure maintenance of benefits and financial status

2. Case Management:

GC works with all Care Providers and related Agencies to coordinate services to/for clients.

What is Guardianship?

Our Mission

A Guardianship is a legal process that comes into play when someone’s abilities to manage themselves, their care and other critical life needs and/or their ability to manage their financial situation is called into question due to injury, illness or disability.

The need for a guardian can occur when a child is born impaired or later on in life when physical and/or cognitive issues arise that impairs ones’ ability to manage independently.

For example, someone who has a stroke, a severe car accident or a traumatic brain injury or a cognitive disease such as with Alzheimer's, that impacts on their ability to make or execute decisions.

Often these events occur suddenly leaving the responsibility to care and/or act on behalf of these folks to family members or friends, if they exist, and are capable of stepping up to fill this critical role. The Court always would prefer that a guardian be a family member or close friend, when available or attorney’s, if the person has funds to pay for these services.

Under NYS MHLS Article 81, Guardians are required to visit their wards at least once a quarter to ensure their welfare. They report to the Court at least yearly to advise the Court on their ward.

Guardianship Corp plays no role in the adjudication of a persons’ capacity. We are appointed by a Judge once the persons‘ need for a guardian is established, and there are no family or friends willing to step up and serve in this critical role. Our goal is to visit our clients at least every other month, and monthly if needed, rather than quarterly, to better serve their needs.

Learn More About Guardianship

Our Vulnerable Clientele

Caring For Those Who Can't Care For Themselves

Guardianship Corp is about people helping other people. Our clients are unfortunate souls who are unable to care for themselves or to see to their daily welfare.

Guardianship Corp is appointed to a case when an individual has no funds/assets and there is no one in the Community to accept the Court’s appointment and look out for the incapacitated individual's welfare.

Our current clients range in age from 18 through 90+ and have a variety of issues that have impacted on either their cognitive and/or physical abilities to such an extent that the Court was required to intervene to ensure their well being.

Cognitive: Alzheimer's Disease and/or dementias
Developmental Disabilities/Autism
Traumatic Brain Injury/Stroke
Mental health
MS

How We Got Started

Our History of Care

In early 2018, then Guardianship Judge Richard Horowitz, A.J.S.C., we attended a meeting where he highlighted this increasingly difficult role to fill. Family members may live far away or not be involved for many years and do not wish to be responsible to step up and act as a guardian for a distant relative, never mind a stranger without family, friends or neighbors.

As the Judge explained, more cases are being presented to the Court, from nursing homes, hospitals, and Adult Protective Services that require immediate attention and assistance in order to ensure that the welfare of an individual in our community is not in jeopardy and that their long term quality of life is maintained.

His original idea was to have volunteers serve as Guardians. In further discussions this was deemed too high a burden for retired individuals to take on for a complete stranger. However, the concept of a not for profit entity being appointed as the Guardian, utilizing, or as we like to say, powered by volunteers, to act as the eyes and ears of the Agency, was born.

Almost simultaneously to these local discussions, a Joint Senate Round Table Hearing of the Health & Judiciary Committees was held in Albany in January 2018 to explore problems surrounding Guardianships across the State.

The result of this hearing was a Senate Initiative to fund 2 demonstration projects on Long Island. The Suffolk Project was Guardianship Corp, a Volunteer based model that sought to provide increased visitation and support to clients while keeping costs down to a minimum.

The vision was that by combining a small, critical cadre of paid staff with caring, dedicated RSVP volunteers acting as foot soldiers, in the role of Guardianship Corp Monitors, we would be able to provide high quality monitoring and support services to our clients while controlling costs through economies of scale.

Making a Difference in Suffolk County

Serving Those Who Cannot Serve Themselves