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About
Our Program
About
Being A Volunteer Guardian
Since
you are a program of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) does that
mean you only serve or hire Lutherans?
Absolutely not! We are an equal opportunity employer and service
provider. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed,
color, disability, or sexual orientation.
Can anyone be a guardian?
No. You must be 18 years of age or older, a resident of Ohio, and
never have not been charged with or convicted of a crime involving
theft, physical violence, or sexual, alcohol or substance abuse,
to be a guardian. The court prefers that family members become the
guardian when possible, at times there is no family available or
the family is inappropriate due to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
That’s when Adult Guardianship Services becomes involved.
What
kinds of things do guardians do?
Guardians of Person provide the following services:
- Determine
a ward’s suitable and appropriate living arrangements and
arrange for successful relocation, if necessary.
- Visit
monthly or more regularly, as needed.
- Identify
and coordinate providers of direct services.
- Attend
care conferences in person or by teleconference.
- Approve
or deny authorization for medical treatment.
- Be
available for emergencies.
- Assist
with pre-paid funeral planning.
- Prepare
biennial report for Probate Court and quarterly reports for AGS.
If
you are a not-for-profit program, why do you serve paying clients,
not just those who are indigent?
We believe that anyone who is without family and needs a guardian
should have access to one who will care about them, visit regularly,
and make good decisions for them. In addition, any excess revenues
we achieve from serving clients who can pay allows us to serve more
people who are indigent.
Don’t attorneys usually act as guardians? Your staff aren’t
lawyers. Is that good?
Generally, there are two types of guardians: Guardian of Person
and Guardian of Estate. Attorneys are excellent at doing Guardian
of Estate work which requires a lot of legal intervention. However,
Guardian of Person activities include decisions about living arrangements
and medical care. As Guardian of Person, we work collaboratively
with attorneys and trust officers at banks to make the best decisions
possible for our wards.
Does
the Cuyahoga County Probate Court approve of what you do?
For the past 18 years, Adult Guardianship Services has been the
sole provider of Guardian of Person services to people who are indigent
in Cuyahoga County. We are proud to continue that tradition into
the future.
Aren’t
you in competition with attorneys?
With AGS acting as Guardian of Person, attorneys can focus on Guardian
of Estate/financial issues. Attorneys are freed from time-consuming
and often complicated social work responsibilities of Guardian of
Person, resulting in a more satisfied ward and family.
How
much does your service cost?
There is no fee if the ward is indigent. Funds for guardianship
services for these individuals comes from the Indigent Guardianship
Fund of the Probate Court. The fee for private pay clients is $80
an hour, a fee which has been approved by the Cuyahoga County Probate
Court.
How
else do you get funds to support your program?
In
addition to the Indigent Guardianship Fund of the Cuyahoga County
Probate Court we receive funding from United Way, the Western Reserve
Area Agency on Aging, the Department of Senior and Adult Services
of Cuyahoga County, many local foundations, referral fees charged
to hospital and nursing homes, and donations from individuals, businesses,
and churches.
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