	Adult Guardianship

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-AG 2: Community Outreach

The agency conducts ongoing outreach to the community to:

inform the community about the services they provide;
promote continuity of care; and
improve access to necessary resources, information, and support.

PA-AG 2.01

The agency distributes informational materials to educate the community about guardianship and guardianship law.

Update: Revised Interpretation - 06/01/10

PA-AG 2.01 Original Interpretation:

The type of information distributed may vary based on the needs of the community and can include general information on state guardianship laws, the process for establishing a guardianship, the benefits and consequences of transferring decision-making authority to a guardian, and a list of appropriate community resources. Educational materials may be distributed through the agency’s website, published brochures, community presentations, or public service announcements. If the agency does not develop and distribute its own informational materials, it should refer individuals to appropriate community resources where the information can be obtained.

Interpretation: The type of information distributed may vary based on the needs of the community and can include general information on state guardianship laws, the process for establishing a guardianship, the benefits and consequences of transferring decision-making authority to a guardian, and a list of appropriate community resources. Educational materials may be distributed through the agency’s website, published brochures, community presentations, or public service announcements. If the agency does not develop and distribute its own informational materials, it should refer individuals to appropriate community resources where the information can be obtained, such as the National Guardianship Association and the state's guardianship association.

PA-AG 2.02

The agency reaches out to relevant community service providers to educate them on the services it provides.

Interpretation: Relevant community service providers include providers who may petition the court for a guardianship appointment. Providers who typically come in contact with the identified service population include providers serving youth with developmental disabilities who are transitioning to the adult system, law enforcement officers, adult protective services, state Area Agencies on Aging, long-term care Ombudsman Programs, banks, housing courts, utility companies, local houses of worship or community centers, residential service providers, and hospitals.

Interpretation: Information on available services should include whether or not the agency has the capacity to take on guardianship responsibilities in emergency situations.

PA-AG 2.03

When appropriate, the agency maintains continuity of care by identifying and reaching out to service providers or community organizations who have worked with the individual in the past.

PA-AG 2.04

To ensure individuals have access to needed services, the agency establishes working relationships with community providers including:

adult protective services and other local and state government agencies;
mental health providers;
legal services;
vocational rehabilitation programs;
hospitals and other medical facilities;
home or geriatric care providers;
home security system companies;
local Area Agencies on Aging;
long-term care Ombudsman Programs; and
nursing homes, assisted living, and other residential facilities.

PA-AG 2.05

The agency assesses staff competence in critical areas such as financial management, health care, housing, bioethics, and law and obtains further assistance in areas where the agency lacks personnel with needed expertise.

Update: Revised Standard - 06/01/10

PA-AG 2.05 Original Standard:

The agency assesses staff competence in critical areas such as financial management, health care, housing, bioethics, and law and seeks out further assistance in areas where the agency lacks personnel with needed expertise.

Interpretation: The agency may use members of its stakeholder advisory group as experts in relevant areas. When the agency does not have needed professionals as part of its staff or its advisory group, it should seek out community stakeholders with a vested interest in the service population.

Research Note: Guardianship decision-making requires expertise in a variety of areas. When that expertise is not available within the agency, the agency should have established mechanisms for reaching out to members of the community with the required knowledge. Research shows that access to legal advice is particularly important.

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	PURPOSE: Individuals who receive guardianship services maintain a level of independence and self-determination appropriate to their functional capacity, and are at minimized risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

RELATED FILES


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	OUTREACH Contact initiated by a provider to identify persons in need of services, to provide information to them about services and benefits, and to encourage the use of appropriate services.


	COMMUNITY A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.


	SERVICE POPULATION A group or target population that the organization's services are designed to serve in accord with its mission, and which includes the organization's service recipients. An organization's service population may be defined by geographic location, specific problems or needs, religion, ethnicity, culture, or other factors.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	STAKEHOLDER Any person, group, or organization that has a vested interest in the services provided by the organization. Examples: clients, consumers, personnel, funding organizations, referral organizations, vendors, and governmental bodies.


	ADVISORY GROUP A group of individuals selected by an organization's governing body or management who possess unique skills and/or knowledge and whose role is to make recommendations, provide information, and/or share input from stakeholders. Advisory groups do not have formal governance authority or responsibilities. Advisory groups can be ongoing or ad hoc.


	RESEARCH For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.