From: Kathie Phillips <kphillips@lifestartinc.com>
To: marykhall3 <marykhall3@aol.com>; kkelly_73 <kkelly_73@hotmail.com>; phillipscosma <phillipscosma@gmail.com>; 'dlewis@rrcol.com' <dlewis@rrcol.com>; Janet Miller <jmiller@lifestartinc.com>; Martha Rose Sapp <mrsapp@lifestartinc.com>; murraymiketerri <murraymiketerri@gmail.com>; mbutler928 <mbutler928@gmail.com>; mbutler <mbutler@ohiosilc.org>; KmWmr1113 <KmWmr1113@gmail.com>; arcohio <arcohio@rrohio.com>; wandabeavers <wandabeavers@att.net>; carolyn.knight <carolyn.knight@dodd.ohio.gov>; Lvkaplan1 <Lvkaplan1@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Jun 8, 2015 5:05 pm
Subject: Update on Guardianship Training
Hello all,
Below is some information we received today on the new Guardianship Rules. About midway through the article (I increased the font and made it bold so it would be easier to find) is a link to the Supreme Court’s website. From that site if you click on “Fundamentals of Adult Guardianship Course Information and Registration (6-hour course)” it will provide you with the courses currently scheduled, location and how to register.
New Adult Guardianship Rules
What a difference a year can make! Just 12 months after opening for public comment, new rules to bring uniformity and consistency to Ohio’s adult guardianship practices will become effective June 1. Rules of Superintendence for
the Courts of Ohio (Sup.R.) 66.01 through 66.09 provide clear guidance for best practices in adult guardianship cases. In addition, Sup.R. 73, regulates guardianship compensation matters. The rules were drafted by the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Subcommittee on Adult Guardianship. The June 2014 issue of First Friday discussed their seven year evolution. “[These rules] will align Ohio with standards set by the National Guardianship Association in adult guardianship cases and raise the level of professionalism among our guardians,” Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said. “We know this has been a long process, but we have never lost sight that the ultimate goal is to provide our probate courts with effective means to ensure the safety and well-being of people who need our protection.” The rules require courts to institute a comprehensive complaint process, and they instruct guardians to exercise due diligence, avoid conflicts of interest, and act with integrity and above reproach. They emphasize person-centered planning and making least restrictive, most normalizing decisions possible on behalf of adult wards. They also underscore the importance of educated and knowledgeable guardians. For example, Sup.R.
66.06 and 66.07 require guardians to complete a onetime fundamentals course and to pursue continuing education provided by the Supreme Court of Ohio or another court-approved entity. To help guardians meet these requirements, the
Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College will host a six hour guardian fundamentals course regionally and free of charge. Separate tracks will be offered for professional guardians, such as attorneys and social workers, and for lay-person guardians, such as volunteers or family members. Beginning in the first quarter of 2016, the required three-hour continuing education seminars also will be available annually, regionally and free of charge.
For adult guardianship course updates and other educational opportunities, please visit the Ohio Adult Guardianship Education Program website. Sup.R.66.01 and 66.09 can be viewed here.
With the new rules in place, the Subcommittee on Adult Guardianship has turned its attention to other efforts to improve adult guardianship policies and practices. For example, the subcommittee is focusing on enhanced educational opportunities, beginning with a Summit on Guardianship this fall. Stay tuned for more details on this event! For more information on the subcommittee itself, please email Stephanie.Nelson@sc.ohio.gov.
Katherine Phillips, LSW
Recruitment & Training Coordinator
614.478.5448 ext.313 Office
614.813.0450 cell
614.471.6912 fax
