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![Page 1: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Gu
ar
dia
nsh
ipm
on
ito
rin
gin
Flo
rid
a:
Fulf
illi
ng
th
eC
ou
rt
’s d
ut
yt
o p
ro
tec
t w
ar
ds
2003
Guardianship
is
the
pro
cess
by w
hic
h a
court
fin
ds
a per
son’s
abil
ity t
o m
ake
dec
isio
ns
so i
mpai
red b
ecau
se o
f m
enta
l an
d/o
r physi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s, t
hat
the
right
to
mak
e dec
isio
ns
is l
egal
ly g
rante
d t
o a
noth
er p
arty
. T
hat
par
ty,
know
n a
s a
guar
dia
n,
bec
om
es t
he
surr
ogat
e dec
isio
n-m
aker
in p
erso
nal
and/o
r fi
nan
cial
mat
ters
for
the
inca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
n,
know
n a
s a
“war
d.”
Supr
eme
Cou
rt C
omm
issi
on o
n Fa
irne
ss, C
omm
itte
e on
Gua
rdia
nshi
p M
onto
ring
![Page 2: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Mel
Gro
ssm
an
, Co
-ch
air
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Patr
icia
Th
om
as,
Co
-ch
air
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, F
ifth
Cir
cuit
Ms.
Kare
n C
am
pb
ell
, P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
,S
eco
nd
Cir
cuit
Mr.
Cla
y C
raig
, A
tto
rney
at
Law
,re
pre
sen
tin
g t
he
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, Pro
bat
e,an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Mr.
Jo
hn
DeG
roo
t,O
ffic
e o
f th
e A
tto
rney
Gen
eral
, Co
ord
inat
or
of
Sp
ecia
l P
roje
cts
Mr.
Jo
sep
h P
. G
eo
rge, Jr
., A
tto
rney
at
Law
, rep
rese
nti
ng
th
e G
ov
ern
men
tL
awy
ers
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Mr.
Jo
hn
Gra
nt,
Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
form
erS
tate
Sen
ato
r an
d f
orm
er E
xecu
tiv
eD
irec
tor
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
d-
ian
ship
Off
ice
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Geo
rge W
. G
reer,
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
e, S
ixth
Cir
cuit
Ms.
Ap
ril
Hil
l, A
tto
rney
at
Law
, fo
rmer
dir
ecto
r o
f th
e E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r o
f th
eT
hir
teen
th C
ircu
it
Ste
ve
n H
oll
ow
ay
, P
hD
, Dea
n o
f B
arry
Un
iver
sity
Sch
oo
l o
f S
oci
al W
ork
Ms.
Mar
ia D
iaz
Lo
wry
, Co
urt
In
ves
tig
ato
r/M
on
ito
r, S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it
Mr.
Ric
har
d M
ilst
ein
, Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
rep
rese
nti
ng
th
e E
lder
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Do
na
ld R
. M
ora
n,
Jr.,
Ch
ief
Jud
ge,
Fo
urt
h C
ircu
it
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Belv
in P
err
y, Jr
., C
hie
f Ju
dg
e,N
inth
Cir
cuit
Mr.
Jo
hn
Petr
ila,
Ex
ecu
tiv
e D
irec
tor,
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e
Mr.
Ste
ven
E. Q
uin
nell
, Att
orn
ey a
t L
aw,
Nat
ion
al A
sso
ciat
ion
of
Eld
er L
aw A
tto
rney
s
Th
e H
on
ora
ble
Su
san
Se
xto
n,
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Jud
ge,
Th
irte
enth
Cir
cuit
Sta
ff S
up
po
rt
Ms.
De
bra
Ho
we
lls,
res
earc
h,
cop
yw
riti
ng
, an
dsu
pp
ort
to c
omm
itte
eM
s. E
ve J
an
ock
o,
sup
por
t to
com
mit
tee
Ms.
Je
nn
ife
r M
cCo
rd,
des
ign
Up
on
req
ues
t b
y a
per
son
wit
h a
dis
abil
ity
, th
isd
ocu
men
t w
ill
be
mad
e av
aila
ble
in
acc
essi
ble
form
ats.
Off
ice
of
the
Sta
te C
ou
rts
Ad
min
istr
ato
r50
0 S
. D
uv
al S
tree
tT
alla
has
see,
Flo
rid
a 32
399-
1900
tele
ph
on
e 85
0-92
2-50
81em
ail
osc
a@fl
cou
rts.
org
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
MO
NIT
OR
ING
CO
MM
ITT
EE
DE
DIC
AT
ION
Thi
s re
port
is
dedi
cate
d to
the
mem
ory
of K
enn
eth
R. P
alm
er,
who
pro
pose
d th
at g
uar
dian
-sh
ip m
onit
orin
g be
incl
ude
d as
a st
udy
top
ic w
ithi
n t
he S
ep-
tem
ber
1, 1
999,
adm
inis
trat
ive
ord
er r
eau
thor
izin
g t
he
Su
-p
rem
e C
ourt
Com
mis
sion
on
Fai
rnes
s.
Mr.
Pal
mer
die
d of
can
cer
at t
he a
ge o
f 54,
on
Apr
il20
, 200
1, h
avin
g se
rved
as
Sta
teC
ourt
s A
dm
inis
trat
or s
ince
1984
. T
he S
tate
Cou
rts
Sys
-te
m a
nd
the
Flo
ridi
ans
it s
erve
s–
incl
udi
ng
the
war
ds w
ho a
reth
e su
bjec
t of
thi
s re
port
– h
ave
lost
a g
reat
lea
der,
su
ppor
ter,
and
defe
nde
r.
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TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Mis
sion o
f G
uar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng
..................................................................................................
2
Exec
utive
Sum
mar
y..........................................................................................................................
3
Intr
oduct
ion
......................................................................................................................................
5
Com
mit
tee
Pro
cess
...........................................................................................................................
7
Gro
win
g N
eed f
or
Guar
dia
nsh
ip in F
lori
da
........................................................................................
8
Eff
ective
Guar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng is
Ess
ential
..................................................................................
13
The
Curr
ent S
ituat
ion in F
lori
da
As
Des
crib
ed a
t P
ublic
Hea
rings
.....................................................
14
Judi
cial
Inp
ut......................................................................................................................
14
Cle
rk o
f C
ourt
Input
...........................................................................................................
16
Citiz
en I
nput
.......................................................................................................................
17
Guar
dia
n I
nput.
...................................................................................................................
17
Attorn
ey I
nput
....................................................................................................................
19
Vet
eran
s’ A
dm
inis
trat
ion I
nput.............................................................................................
20
Min
imum
Sta
ndar
ds
for
Guar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng
............................................................................
21
Com
ponen
ts o
f an
Idea
l G
uar
dia
nsh
ip M
onitori
ng P
rogra
m..............................................................
23
1
. I
nitia
l an
d O
n-G
oin
g S
cree
nin
g a
nd R
evie
win
g o
f G
uar
dia
ns
........................................
25
2
. R
eport
ing o
n the
Wel
l-B
eing o
f th
e W
ard
....................................................................
27
3
. R
eport
ing o
n the
Pro
tect
ion o
f th
e W
ard’s
Ass
ets
........................................................
30
4
. C
ase
Adm
inis
trat
ion
....................................................................................................
33
Min
or
Guar
dia
nsh
ips.......................................................................................................................
36
Educa
tion a
nd T
rain
ing I
ssues
..........................................................................................................
37
![Page 4: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
MIS
SIO
N O
F G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G
Th
e m
issi
on
of
gua
rdia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g is
to
co
llec
t, p
ro-
vid
e, a
nd
ev
alu
ate
in
form
ati
on
ab
ou
t th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
an
dp
rop
erty
of
all
per
son
s a
dju
dic
ate
d o
f h
av
ing
a l
ega
l in
ca-
pa
city
so
th
at
the
cou
rt c
an
fu
lfil
l it
s le
gal
ob
liga
tio
n t
op
rote
ct a
nd
pre
serv
e th
e in
tere
sts
of
the
wa
rd,
an
d t
her
eby
pro
mo
te c
on
fid
ence
in
th
e ju
dic
ial
pro
cess
.
2
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EX
EC
UT
IVE
SU
MM
AR
Y
A g
uar
dia
n i
s a
surr
og
ate
dec
isio
n-m
aker
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o m
ake
per
son
al a
nd
/o
r fi
nan
cial
dec
isio
ns
eith
er (
1) f
or
an a
du
lt w
ith
men
tal
or
ph
ysi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s w
ho
has
bee
n a
dju
dic
ated
in
cap
acit
ated
; o
r (2
) fo
r a
min
or
in c
ircu
mst
ance
sw
her
e th
e p
aren
ts d
ie o
r b
eco
me
inca
pac
itat
ed o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
inh
erit
ance
, pro
ceed
s o
f a
law
suit
, or
insu
ran
ce p
oli
cyex
ceed
ing
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
. T
her
e ar
e b
etw
een
30,
000
and
40,
000
op
en g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
in F
lori
da
at a
ny
giv
enti
me.
Wh
en t
he
cou
rt r
emo
ves
an
ad
ult
’s r
igh
ts t
o o
rder
his
or
her
ow
n a
ffai
rs, t
her
e is
an
acc
om
pan
yin
g d
uty
to
pro
tect
th
ein
div
idu
al.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
a d
isti
nct
an
d u
niq
ue
typ
e o
f ju
dic
ial
mat
ter.
Un
lik
e o
ther
cas
es, g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
may
rem
ain
op
en f
or
yea
rso
r ev
en d
ecad
es,
par
ticu
larl
y i
n c
ases
in
vo
lvin
g a
du
lts
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
or
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
s.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
also
dif
fere
nt
bec
ause
alt
ho
ug
h i
t b
egin
s w
ith
an
ad
ver
sari
al h
eari
ng
, on
ce i
nca
pac
ity
has
bee
n d
eter
min
ed, t
her
e ar
e u
sual
ly n
o“a
dv
ersa
ries
” to
bri
ng
co
nce
rns
to t
he
cou
rt’s
att
enti
on
. T
hu
s, t
he
cou
rt m
ust
be
pro
acti
ve
to d
isco
ver
an
d r
esp
on
d t
o d
is-
pu
tes
and
iss
ues
.
Th
e in
evit
able
ag
ing
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n, s
itu
atio
ns
lead
ing
to
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, a
nd
th
e in
cid
ence
of
dev
elo
pm
enta
ld
isab
ilit
ies
and
men
tal
dis
ord
ers
wil
l in
flu
ence
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy c
on
sid
erat
ion
s fo
r th
e fo
rese
eab
le f
utu
re.
Alr
ead
y t
he
Flo
rid
ale
gal
sy
stem
is
con
fro
nti
ng
an
d s
eek
ing
an
swer
s to
ess
enti
al i
ssu
es, s
uch
as
ho
w t
he
cou
rts
wil
l b
e ab
le t
o a
deq
uat
ely
ex
er-
cise
th
eir
leg
al,
eth
ical
, an
d m
ora
l re
spo
nsi
bil
itie
s to
mo
nit
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
pro
tect
th
e in
cap
acit
ated
ad
ult
s en
-tr
ust
ed t
o t
hei
r ca
re.
Th
e ro
le o
f a
gu
ard
ian
is
hig
hly
co
mp
lex
, in
vo
lvin
g l
egal
, so
cial
, fi
nan
cial
, an
d p
sych
olo
gic
al d
imen
sio
ns.
W
hil
e m
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le jo
b,
it i
s n
eces
sary
fo
r co
urt
s to
act
ivel
y e
xer
cise
th
eir
ov
ersi
gh
t re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n o
rder
to
pro
tect
an
d p
rese
rve
the
inte
rest
s o
f p
erso
ns
wit
h a
leg
al i
nca
pac
ity
. W
hil
e it
is
bey
on
dd
isp
ute
th
at c
ou
rt-a
pp
oin
ted
gu
ard
ian
s sh
ou
ld b
e su
per
vis
ed b
y t
he
cou
rt,
it s
ho
uld
als
o b
e re
mem
ber
ed t
hat
th
e v
ast
maj
ori
ty o
f g
uar
dia
ns
are
fam
ily
mem
ber
s w
ho
are
per
form
ing
dif
ficu
lt, u
np
aid
, an
d t
han
kle
ss w
ork
, so
lely
fro
m a
sen
se o
ffa
mil
ial
dev
oti
on
an
d d
uty
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n t
he
leas
t b
urd
enso
me
and
dis
-ru
pti
ve
man
ner
po
ssib
le t
hat
eff
ecti
vel
y a
cco
mp
lish
es t
he
go
al o
f p
rote
ctin
g w
ard
s.
3
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Ba
sed
on
its
rev
iew
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
ad
op
ted
th
e fo
llo
win
g fi
nd
ings
, wh
ich
are
ex-
pla
ined
in
gre
ate
r d
eta
il t
hro
ugh
ou
t th
e re
po
rt:
�M
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le j
ob
; h
ow
ever
, th
ere
is a
nee
d f
or
gre
ater
ov
ersi
gh
t, t
o p
rote
ctin
div
idu
als
wh
o a
re s
ub
ject
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
.�
An
idea
l gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m e
nco
mp
asse
s fo
ur
maj
or
serv
ice
area
s: (
1) in
itia
l an
d o
n-g
oin
g s
cree
nin
gan
d r
evie
win
g o
f g
uar
dia
ns;
(2)
rep
ort
ing
on
th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
of
the
war
d;
(3)
rep
ort
ing
on
th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s; a
nd
(4)
cas
e ad
min
istr
atio
n.
�M
inim
um
req
uir
emen
ts f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e es
tab
lish
ed a
nd
th
e m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss s
ho
uld
be
wel
l d
efin
ed.
�In
sofa
r as
po
ssib
le,
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansp
aren
t an
d o
pen
, an
d c
om
mu
nic
atio
n b
etw
een
th
em
on
ito
r an
d t
he
jud
ge
sho
uld
be
in w
riti
ng
an
d b
eco
me
par
t o
f th
e o
ffic
ial
cou
rt r
eco
rd.
�U
nif
orm
rep
ort
ing
fo
rms
sho
uld
be
ado
pte
d o
n a
sta
tew
ide
bas
is.
�T
her
e is
a n
eed
fo
r a
wel
l-d
efin
ed p
roce
ss f
or
rev
iew
of
the
ann
ual
pla
n a
nd
val
idat
ion
of
the
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
.�
Th
ere
is a
nee
d f
or
wel
l-d
efin
ed f
inan
cial
au
dit
s, w
ith
gra
du
atin
g le
vel
s o
f re
vie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
case
s sh
ou
ld b
e au
dit
ed b
ased
on
a s
tati
stic
al r
and
om
sam
pli
ng
, as
wel
l as
wh
en a
pro
ble
m i
s in
dic
ated
.�
It i
s so
un
d p
ub
lic
po
licy
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g t
o b
e av
aila
ble
in
ev
ery
ju
dic
ial
circ
uit
. M
on
ito
rin
g w
ill
req
uir
e ad
dit
ion
al r
eso
urc
es i
n o
rder
to
ad
equ
atel
y o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e co
st o
f m
on
ito
rin
g c
an b
em
itig
ated
th
rou
gh
th
e ef
fect
ive
use
of
tech
no
log
y.
�E
xist
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
uti
lize
wel
l-tr
ain
ed a
nd
exp
erie
nce
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff a
re w
ork
ing
wel
l.�
Mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
rel
y e
nti
rely
up
on
vo
lun
teer
s ar
e n
ot
alw
ays
effi
cien
t an
d e
ffec
tiv
e.
Alt
ho
ug
h w
ell
inte
nti
on
ed,
vo
lun
teer
s o
ften
lac
k k
no
wle
dg
e an
d e
xp
erie
nce
wit
h t
he
com
ple
x m
edic
al,
leg
al,
and
fin
anci
alis
sues
in
vo
lved
in
ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
�T
her
e is
a n
eed
fo
r st
atew
ide
equ
ity
in r
egar
d t
o c
om
pen
sati
on
of
atto
rney
s an
d g
uar
dia
ns.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, gu
ard
-ia
n a
nd
att
orn
ey f
ees
sho
uld
be
pai
d i
n a
tim
ely
man
ner
.�
Th
ere
is a
nee
d t
o r
ecru
it h
igh
ly q
ual
ifie
d, m
oti
vat
ed, a
nd
tra
ined
pro
fess
ion
als
into
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ield
– b
oth
as g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys.
�Ju
dg
es w
ou
ld b
enef
it f
rom
ad
dit
ion
al t
rain
ing
on
eld
er, d
isab
ilit
y, a
bu
se a
nd
neg
lect
, an
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
ssu
es.
4
![Page 7: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
A g
uar
dia
n i
s a
surr
og
ate
dec
isio
n-m
aker
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o m
ake
eith
er p
erso
nal
an
d/
or
fin
anci
al d
ecis
ion
s fo
r a
min
or
or
for
an a
du
lt w
ith
men
tal
or
ph
ysi
cal
dis
abil
itie
s.
Aft
er a
dju
dic
atio
n,
the
sub
ject
of
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
term
ed a
“war
d.”
Flo
rid
a la
w r
equ
ires
th
e co
urt
to
ap
po
int
a g
uar
dia
n f
or
min
ors
in
cir
cum
stan
ces
wh
ere
the
par
ents
die
or
bec
om
e in
cap
aci-
tate
d, o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
inh
erit
ance
or
pro
ceed
s o
f a
law
suit
or
insu
ran
ce p
oli
cy e
xce
edin
g t
he
amo
un
t al
low
ed b
y s
tatu
te.
Ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
is t
he
pro
cess
by
wh
ich
th
e co
urt
fin
ds
an in
div
idu
al’s
ab
ilit
y t
o m
ake
dec
isio
ns
so im
pai
red
th
at t
he
cou
rtg
ives
th
e ri
gh
t to
mak
e d
ecis
ion
s to
an
oth
er p
erso
n.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is o
nly
war
ran
ted
wh
en n
o le
ss r
estr
icti
ve
alte
rnat
ive
– su
chas
du
rab
le p
ow
er o
f at
torn
ey, t
rust
, hea
lth
car
e su
rro
gat
e o
r p
rox
y, o
r o
ther
fo
rm o
f p
re-n
eed
dir
ecti
ve
– is
fo
un
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
ob
e ap
pro
pri
ate
and
av
aila
ble
.
Flo
rid
a la
w a
llo
ws
bo
th v
olu
nta
ry a
nd
in
vo
lun
tary
gu
ard
ian
ship
s. A
vo
lun
tary
gu
ard
ian
ship
may
be
esta
bli
shed
fo
r an
ad
ult
wh
o, t
ho
ug
h m
enta
lly
co
mp
eten
t, is
inca
pab
le o
f m
anag
ing
his
or
her
ow
n e
stat
e an
d w
ho
vo
lun
tari
ly p
etit
ion
s fo
r th
e ap
po
int-
men
t.
Leg
isla
tiv
e in
ten
t es
tab
lish
es t
hat
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
form
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
is d
esir
able
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, Flo
rid
a la
w p
rov
ides
fo
rli
mit
ed a
s w
ell
as p
len
ary
ad
ult
gu
ard
ian
ship
. A
lim
ited
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
app
rop
riat
e if
th
e co
urt
fin
ds
the
war
d l
ack
s th
eca
pac
ity
to
do
so
me,
bu
t n
ot
all,
of
the
task
s n
eces
sary
to
car
e fo
r h
is o
r h
er p
erso
n o
r p
rop
erty
; an
d i
f th
e in
div
idu
al d
oes
no
th
ave
pre
-pla
nn
ed, w
ritt
en i
nst
ruct
ion
s fo
r al
l as
pec
ts o
f h
is o
r h
er l
ife.
A p
len
ary
gu
ard
ian
is
a p
erso
n a
pp
oin
ted
by
th
e co
urt
to e
xer
cise
all
del
egab
le l
egal
rig
hts
an
d p
ow
ers
of
the
adu
lt w
ard
aft
er t
he
cou
rt m
akes
a f
ind
ing
of
inca
pac
ity
. W
ard
s in
ple
nar
y g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
are,
by
def
init
ion
, un
able
to
car
e fo
r th
emse
lves
.
Wh
eth
er o
ne
is d
eali
ng
wit
h a
min
or
wh
ose
ass
ets
mu
st b
e m
anag
ed b
y a
no
ther
or
an
ad
ult
wit
h a
dis
abil
ity
wh
o is
no
t ca
pab
leo
f m
akin
g d
ecis
ion
s fo
r h
im/
her
self
, wh
en t
he
cou
rt r
emo
ves
an
in
div
idu
al’s
rig
hts
to
ord
er h
is o
r h
er o
wn
aff
airs
th
ere
is a
nac
com
pan
yin
g d
uty
to
pro
tect
th
e in
div
idu
al.
On
e o
f th
e co
urt
’s d
uti
es i
s to
ap
po
int
a g
uar
dia
n.
All
ad
ult
an
d m
ino
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ips
are
sub
ject
to
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t.
Th
e le
gal
au
tho
rity
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
n F
lori
da
is f
ou
nd
in
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e co
urt
ru
les
that
co
ntr
ol
the
rela
tio
nsh
ips
amo
ng
th
e co
urt
, th
e w
ard
, th
e g
uar
dia
n,
and
th
e at
torn
ey a
re f
ou
nd
in
Par
t II
I, P
rob
ate
Ru
les,
Flo
rid
a R
ule
s o
fC
ou
rt.
To
get
her
, th
ese
stat
ute
s an
d r
ule
s d
escr
ibe
the
du
ties
an
d o
bli
gat
ion
s o
f g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys,
as
wel
l as
th
e co
urt
,to
en
sure
th
at t
hey
act
in
th
e b
est
inte
rest
s o
f th
e w
ard
, min
or,
or
per
son
wh
o i
s al
leg
ed i
nca
pac
itat
ed.
In r
eco
gn
itio
n o
f th
e co
urt
sy
stem
’s r
esp
on
sib
ilit
y t
o o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
th
ereb
y e
nsu
re t
hat
war
ds
are
adeq
uat
ely
pro
tect
ed, b
y a
dm
inis
trat
ive
ord
er d
ated
Sep
tem
ber
1, 1
999,
fo
rmer
Ch
ief
Just
ice
Maj
or
B. H
ard
ing
dir
ecte
d t
he
Su
pre
me
Co
urt
Co
mm
issi
on
on
Fai
rnes
s to
“in
ves
tig
ate
and
rep
ort
on
var
iou
s m
od
els
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
.” T
he
Co
mm
issi
on
est
ab-
lish
ed t
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e an
d c
har
ged
it
wit
h f
ulf
illi
ng
th
is d
irec
tiv
e.
5
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Co
mm
itte
e m
emb
ersh
ip in
clu
ded
pro
bat
e ju
dg
es, c
hie
f ju
dg
es, c
ou
rt s
taff
, rep
rese
nta
tiv
es o
f th
e S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip O
ffic
e, a
tto
rney
s w
ith
ex
per
ien
ce i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs,
acad
emic
s, a
nd
pro
fess
ion
als
in t
he
fiel
d o
f so
cial
wo
rk.
In
add
itio
n t
o r
ely
ing
on
th
eir
con
sid
erab
le d
irec
t ex
per
ien
ce,
the
Co
mm
itte
e re
vie
wed
av
aila
ble
lit
erat
ure
on
th
e su
bje
ct,
vis
-it
ed F
lori
da
cou
rts
that
are
ex
per
imen
tin
g w
ith
in
no
vat
ive
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
met
ho
ds,
an
d c
on
du
cted
pu
bli
c h
ear-
ing
s ar
ou
nd
th
e st
ate
to r
ecei
ve
inp
ut
fro
m g
uar
dia
ns,
cle
rks
of
cou
rt, a
tto
rney
s, a
dv
oca
tes,
an
d o
ther
in
tere
sted
per
son
s.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
fou
nd
th
at w
hil
e m
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le j
ob
, m
ore
act
ive
ov
ersi
gh
t is
nec
essa
ry i
ng
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
. W
hil
e it
is b
eyo
nd
dis
pu
te t
hat
co
urt
-ap
po
inte
d g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
be
sup
erv
ised
by
th
e co
urt
, it
sho
uld
also
be
rem
emb
ered
th
at t
he
vas
t m
ajo
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e fa
mil
y m
emb
ers
wh
o a
re p
erfo
rmin
g d
iffi
cult
, un
pai
d, a
nd
th
ank
-le
ss w
ork
, so
lely
fro
m a
sen
se o
f fa
mil
ial
dev
oti
on
an
d d
uty
. T
he
Co
mm
itte
e al
so f
ou
nd
th
at a
n o
ver
wh
elm
ing
maj
ori
ty o
fp
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e d
edic
ated
an
d c
apab
le s
erv
ice
pro
vid
ers.
Th
e em
oti
on
al a
nd
fin
anci
al c
om
ple
xit
y i
nh
eren
t in
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
ship
sit
uat
ion
s m
ay b
e co
mp
ou
nd
ed b
y t
he
fact
th
at t
he
fam
ily
has
rec
entl
y s
uff
ered
a t
rag
edy
res
ult
ing
in t
he
nee
d f
or
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip.
A f
amil
y m
emb
er g
uar
dia
n is
req
uir
ed t
o h
ire
an a
tto
rney
, pro
vid
e d
etai
led
per
son
al in
form
atio
n, u
nd
erg
o a
cre
dit
ch
eck
, po
st a
fid
uci
ary
’s b
on
d, a
tten
d a
n 8
-ho
ur
trai
nin
gco
urs
e, a
nd
fil
e d
etai
led
in
itia
l an
d a
nn
ual
per
son
al a
nd
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts.
Oft
en, a
n e
lder
ly w
ife
can
no
t sp
end
her
hu
sban
d’s
sh
are
of
thei
r m
on
ey o
n h
om
e re
pai
rs, b
irth
day
pre
sen
ts, o
r ta
x-p
rep
arer
fees
wit
ho
ut
firs
t fi
lin
g a
wri
tten
req
ues
t w
ith
th
e co
urt
, w
hic
h p
etit
ion
may
or
may
no
t b
e g
ran
ted
. I
n t
he
case
of
a m
ino
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ip,
a p
aren
t ca
nn
ot
use
th
e ch
ild
’s m
on
ey t
o b
uy
bra
ces,
ch
eerl
ead
ing
clo
thes
, b
ask
etb
all
sho
es,
or
a p
rep
aid
coll
ege
pla
n w
ith
ou
t d
oin
g t
he
sam
e. A
cco
rdin
gly
, gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n t
he
leas
t b
urd
enso
me
and
dis
rup
tiv
e m
ann
er p
oss
ible
th
at e
ffec
tiv
ely
acc
om
pli
shes
th
e g
oal
of
pro
tect
ing
war
ds
and
mai
nta
inin
g t
hei
r p
re-g
uar
d-
ian
ship
lif
esty
le.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
fou
nd
th
at it
is s
ou
nd
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
to b
e ad
equ
atel
y f
un
ded
in e
ver
yju
dic
ial
circ
uit
, eit
her
by
th
e S
tate
of
Flo
rid
a o
r b
y l
oca
l g
ov
ern
men
t. R
egre
ttab
ly, g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g r
eso
urc
es a
re, a
tb
est,
mar
gin
ally
fu
nd
ed i
n t
his
Sta
te.
On
ly t
hre
e ci
rcu
its
ou
t o
f tw
enty
–
the
Six
th,
Th
irte
enth
, an
d S
even
teen
th –
hav
e th
ead
van
tag
e o
f fu
ll-t
ime
pro
fess
ion
al s
taff
fo
r th
is p
urp
ose
, an
d o
nly
on
e o
f th
ose
pro
gra
ms
– th
e S
even
teen
th –
is
par
tial
lyfu
nd
ed b
y t
he
Sta
te.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
at w
her
e th
e ca
selo
ad w
arra
nts
, ded
icat
ed p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff s
ho
uld
be
auth
ori
zed
. I
n t
ho
se c
ircu
its
wh
ose
cas
elo
ads
do
no
t w
arra
nt
full
-tim
e d
edic
ated
sta
ff,
the
cou
rt s
ho
uld
be
pro
vid
ed w
ith
acce
ss t
o t
rain
ed a
nd
ex
per
ien
ced
mo
nit
ors
up
on
req
ues
t.
Th
is r
epo
rt d
ocu
men
ts w
hat
th
e C
om
mit
tee
lear
ned
du
rin
g t
he
cou
rse
of
its
rev
iew
, an
d d
escr
ibes
th
e el
emen
ts o
f an
id
eal
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m.
6
![Page 9: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
CO
MM
ITT
EE
PR
OC
ES
S
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
was
co
mp
rise
d o
f p
rob
ate
jud
ges
, ch
ief
jud
ges
, co
urt
sta
ff, r
epre
sen
tati
ves
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ipO
ffic
e, a
tto
rney
s w
ith
ex
per
ien
ce i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs, a
cad
emic
s, a
nd
pro
fess
ion
als
in t
he
fiel
d o
f so
cial
wo
rk.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
com
men
ced
its
ex
amin
atio
n w
ith
a l
iter
atu
re r
evie
w,
foll
ow
ed i
n A
pri
l 20
00 w
ith
a t
wo
-day
wo
rksh
op
in
Ft.
Lau
der
dal
e.
Du
rin
g t
he
wo
rksh
op
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
dev
elo
ped
a m
issi
on
sta
tem
ent
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
, b
egan
to
de-
scri
be
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
, an
d i
den
tifi
ed a
pre
lim
inar
y l
ist
of
issu
es t
o s
tud
y.
Pre
sen
tati
on
s w
ere
rece
ived
fro
m c
ircu
its
that
are
im
ple
men
tin
g i
nn
ov
ativ
e ap
pro
ach
es t
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g, i
ncl
ud
ing
av
isit
to
th
e T
hir
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it’s
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
and
a p
rese
nta
tio
n o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
nit
iati
ves
in
th
e S
even
teen
thJu
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
wo
su
rvey
s w
ere
con
du
cted
in
ord
er t
o o
bta
in i
nfo
rmat
ion
ab
ou
t g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
ract
ices
in
th
etw
enty
jud
icia
l ci
rcu
its.
In t
he
fall
of
2000
, th
e C
om
mit
tee
ho
sted
th
ree
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s –
in F
t. L
aud
erd
ale,
Tal
lah
asse
e, a
nd
St.
Pet
ersb
urg
– t
o g
ath
erte
stim
on
y f
rom
att
orn
eys,
jud
ges
, pro
fess
ion
al a
nd
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
s, c
lerk
s o
f co
urt
, fam
ily
mem
ber
s, a
dv
oca
tes,
an
d o
ther
inte
r-es
ted
ind
ivid
ual
s. A
dd
itio
nal
ou
trea
ch in
clu
ded
po
stin
g in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
the
Co
mm
itte
e’s
wo
rk o
n t
he
Flo
rid
a C
ou
rts
Web
site
(ww
w.f
lco
urt
s.o
rg)
and
pu
bli
shin
g a
rtic
les
in p
rofe
ssio
nal
new
slet
ters
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e m
et f
ou
r ad
dit
ion
al t
imes
in
per
son
an
d m
ult
iple
tim
es b
y t
elep
ho
ne
con
fere
nce
cal
l, t
o d
iscu
ss w
hat
it
had
lear
ned
an
d t
o d
evel
op
th
is r
epo
rt.
7
![Page 10: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s ar
e fa
cin
g a
gro
win
g n
um
ber
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
iss
ues
. W
hil
eth
ere
are
curr
entl
y n
o a
ccu
rate
sta
tew
ide
stat
isti
cs o
n t
he
nu
mb
er o
f o
pen
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip c
ases
, res
po
nse
s to
su
rvey
s b
y t
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e in
dic
ate
ther
e ar
e in
th
e ra
ng
e o
f 30
,000
-40,
000
op
en g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
in F
lori
da
at a
ny
giv
enti
me.
In
199
6, t
her
e w
ere
mo
re t
han
49,
0001
ju
dic
ial
rev
iew
s o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
ssu
es,
inv
olv
ing
eit
her
a re
vie
w o
f an
an
nu
al p
lan
or
som
e o
ther
co
urt
act
ion
. T
his
nu
mb
erg
rew
to
wel
l o
ver
63,
000
in 2
000,
wh
ich
rep
rese
nts
a 2
8% i
ncr
ease
wit
hin
fiv
e y
ears
.
Fu
rth
erm
ore
, th
ese
fig
ure
s re
pre
sen
t o
nly
th
e p
erso
ns
for
wh
om
a f
orm
al g
uar
dia
n-
ship
has
bee
n s
ou
gh
t. T
her
e ar
e m
any
oth
er p
erso
ns
wh
o d
o n
ot
req
uir
e a
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip b
ecau
se t
hey
ob
tain
ed p
ow
ers
of
atto
rney
, h
ealt
h c
are
dir
ecti
ves
, o
r o
ther
pre
-p
lan
ned
do
cum
ents
in
ad
van
ce o
f in
cap
acit
y.
Un
fort
un
atel
y,
ther
e ar
e th
ou
san
ds
of
inca
pac
itat
ed a
du
lt F
lori
dia
ns
wh
o m
ay r
equ
ire
a g
uar
dia
n, b
ut
wh
ose
nee
ds
rem
ain
un
det
ecte
d a
nd
un
met
. T
he
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e es
tim
ates
the
un
met
nee
d t
o e
xce
ed 2
2,50
0 in
cap
acit
ated
per
son
s st
atew
ide.
Mo
st o
f th
ese
ind
ivid
ual
s ar
ein
dig
ent
and
wo
uld
be
elig
ible
fo
r p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
ser
vic
es.
Ho
wev
er, F
lori
da’
sp
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
pro
gra
m i
s w
oef
ull
y u
nd
erfu
nd
ed.
Th
e S
tate
cu
rren
tly
fu
nd
so
nly
th
ree
pro
gra
ms,
in
Leo
n,
Bro
war
d,
and
Hil
lsb
oro
ug
h c
ou
nti
es.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
,th
ere
are
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
nsh
ip p
rog
ram
s in
Mia
mi-
Dad
e, P
alm
Bea
ch, O
sceo
la, V
olu
sia,
Co
llie
r, a
nd
Lee
co
un
ties
th
at a
re f
un
ded
wit
h l
oca
l p
ub
lic
mo
ney
. T
he
tota
l p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
ship
cap
acit
y i
n F
lori
da
is c
urr
entl
y l
ess
than
1,7
50.
All
ex
isti
ng
pro
gra
ms
are
fill
ed t
o c
apac
ity
an
d c
ann
ot
acce
pt
add
itio
nal
war
ds.
T
he
Dep
artm
ent
of
Ch
il-
dre
n a
nd
Fam
ilie
s h
as e
xp
ress
ed t
he
imm
edia
te n
eed
fo
r a
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
n t
o b
e ap
-p
oin
ted
to
rep
rese
nt
2,49
5 in
div
idu
als
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
s w
ho
are
co
min
g t
o t
he
age
of
maj
ori
ty.
Th
e re
mai
nin
g in
cap
acit
ated
ad
ult
s w
ho
hav
e n
ot
bee
n b
rou
gh
t to
th
e co
urt
’s a
tten
tio
n a
nd
fo
r w
ho
m n
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
erv
ices
exis
t, m
ay b
e la
ng
uis
hin
g w
ith
ou
t ap
pro
pri
ate
ph
ysi
cal
and
/o
r m
enta
l ca
re a
nd
th
eir
mea
ger
fin
ance
s m
ay b
e su
scep
tib
le t
ou
nsc
rup
ulo
us
per
son
s.
As
Joh
n G
ran
t, f
orm
er e
xec
uti
ve
dir
ecto
r o
f th
e S
tate
wid
e O
ffic
e o
f th
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
sta
ted
in
aO
cto
ber
16,
200
0, l
ette
r to
fo
rmer
Ch
ief
Just
ice
Ch
arle
s W
ells
:
1P
er S
um
mar
y R
eport
ing S
yst
em (
SR
S)
dat
a fr
om
the
Off
ice
of
the
Sta
te C
ourt
s A
dm
inis
trat
or,
run o
n S
epte
mber
6,
2001.
Ple
ase
note
that
SR
S d
ata
are
use
d a
s a
bas
e fo
r w
ork
load
mea
sure
s fo
r ju
dges
. T
hes
e dat
a ar
e bas
ed o
n i
nfo
rmat
ion r
ecei
ved
fro
m t
he
Cle
rks
of
Court
.
GR
OW
ING
NE
ED
FO
R G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP I
N F
LO
RID
A
8
Sce
na
rio
: A
n e
lde
rly
wif
e h
as
care
d f
or
he
r h
usb
an
d w
ith
Alz
he
ime
r’s
dis
ea
se i
n t
he
irh
om
e a
s lo
ng
as
po
ssib
le,
bu
th
er
ow
n h
ea
lth
an
d f
un
ds
are
be
ing
de
ple
ted
. T
he
pa
rtie
s,
no
t acc
ust
om
ed
to
ob
tain
ing
le-
gal
ser
vic
es, n
egle
cted
to
ob
tain
Po
wers
of
Att
orn
ey
in
ad
van
ce.
Th
e w
ife i
s n
ow
fo
rced
in
to t
he
situ
ati
on
of
pla
cin
g h
er
hu
s-
ba
nd
in
a n
urs
ing
ho
me
, o
b-
tain
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d s
ell
-in
g s
om
e j
oin
t ass
ets
to
pay
th
eb
ills
. T
he
pa
rtie
s h
av
e b
ee
nm
arr
ied
fo
r 47 y
ears
an
d m
ean
t
it w
hen
th
ey s
aid
“u
nti
l d
eath
do
us
pa
rt.”
![Page 11: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Th
ose
to
be
serv
ed b
y a
pu
bli
c g
uar
dia
nsh
ip p
rog
ram
are
so
me
of
Flo
rid
a’s
mo
st s
ilen
t ci
tize
ns.
T
hey
do
n’t
hav
e as
sets
, th
ey d
on
’t v
ote
, an
d t
hey
are
eas
ily
fo
rgo
tten
. B
ut
they
are
hu
man
bei
ng
s, m
any
of
wh
om
hav
e li
ved
ex
emp
lary
liv
es, p
ayin
g t
hei
r ta
xes
, ed
uca
tin
g t
hei
r ch
ild
ren
, ser
vin
g t
hei
r co
mm
un
ity
,an
d w
ho
no
w f
ind
th
emse
lves
in
th
e su
nse
t y
ears
of
life
wit
h n
eith
er f
amil
y n
or
asse
ts t
o m
anag
e fo
rth
emse
lves
.
Giv
en t
he
dem
og
rap
hic
s o
f th
e N
atio
n a
nd
Sta
te, t
he
tren
d t
ow
ard
gro
wth
in
th
e n
um
ber
of
inca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
ns
– an
d a
cco
m-
pan
yin
g g
uar
dia
nsh
ips
– is
cer
tain
to
co
nti
nu
e.
Th
e in
cap
acit
ated
po
pu
lati
on
of
tom
orr
ow
wil
l h
ave
dif
fere
nt
soci
al,
dem
o-
gra
ph
ic, h
ealt
h, a
nd
eco
no
mic
ch
arac
teri
stic
s th
an t
hat
of
tod
ay.
Acc
ord
ing
to
rep
ort
s b
y t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Cen
sus
Bu
reau
2 a
nd
oth
er s
ou
rces
:
•T
he
po
pu
lati
on
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n i
s ag
ing
at
an u
nb
elie
vab
le a
nd
un
pre
ced
ente
d r
ate.
-D
uri
ng
th
e T
wen
tiet
h C
entu
ry, t
he
life
span
of
the
aver
age
Am
eric
an n
earl
y d
ou
ble
d.3
-O
ver
2.7
mil
lio
n F
lori
dia
ns,
or
18.3
%, a
re 6
5 y
ears
an
d o
ver
, co
mp
ared
to
th
e n
atio
nal
av
erag
e o
f 12
.7%
. In
fac
t, t
his
Sta
te h
as t
he
gre
ates
t p
rop
ort
ion
of
resi
den
ts o
ver
65,
an
d n
earl
y 8
% o
f al
l A
mer
ican
s o
ver
th
e ag
e o
f 65
liv
e in
Flo
rid
a.
-T
he
“old
est
old
” –
tho
se a
ged
85
and
ov
er –
are
th
e m
ost
rap
idly
gro
win
g e
lder
ly a
ge
gro
up
. M
ore
th
an 3
10,0
00F
lori
dia
ns,
or
2.1%
, are
85
yea
rs a
nd
ov
er, c
om
par
ed t
o t
he
nat
ion
al a
ver
age
of
1.5%
.
-B
etw
een
201
0 an
d 2
030,
th
e o
ver
65
po
pu
lati
on
wil
l ri
se o
ver
70
per
cen
t.4
•T
he
eld
erly
in
ou
r co
un
try
are
bec
om
ing
mo
re r
acia
lly
an
d e
thn
ical
ly d
iver
se.
-In
199
4, 1
0% o
f th
e el
der
ly w
ere
a ra
ce o
ther
th
an W
hit
e. B
y 2
050,
th
is p
rop
ort
ion
is e
xp
ecte
d t
o r
ise
to a
t le
ast
20%
.S
imil
arly
, th
e p
rop
ort
ion
of
eld
erly
wh
o a
re H
isp
anic
is
exp
ecte
d t
o c
lim
b f
rom
4%
to
16%
ov
er t
he
sam
e p
erio
d.
-In
199
0, 1
2% o
f al
l el
der
ly p
erso
ns
in t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
spo
ke
som
e la
ng
uag
e o
ther
th
an E
ng
lish
at
ho
me.
2 U
nle
ss o
ther
wis
e in
dic
ated
, th
e fo
llow
ing e
lder
dat
a, s
tati
stic
s, a
nd t
rends
are
dra
wn f
rom
the
Unit
ed S
tate
s C
ensu
s B
ure
au’s
Sta
tist
ical
Bri
ef S
ixty
-Fiv
e
Plu
s in
the
U.S
. an
d 1
997 C
urr
ent
Popula
tion R
eport
by J
ack M
cNei
l, A
mer
ican
s w
ith D
isab
ilit
ies
House
hold
Eco
nom
ic S
tudie
s, i
ssued
Feb
ruar
y 2
001.
See
U.S
. C
ensu
s B
ure
au d
ata
at w
ww
.cen
sus.
go
v/p
op
ula
tio
n/e
stim
ate
s/st
ate
/st9
8eld
erl
y.t
xt
3M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
eport
of
the
Surg
eon G
ener
al,
ww
w.s
urg
eo
ng
en
era
l.g
ov
/lib
rary
/men
talh
ealt
h/h
om
e.h
tml
4P
oli
cy C
hal
lenges
Pose
d b
y t
he
Agin
g o
f A
mer
ica,
May
1998,
Urb
an I
nst
itute
Boar
d o
f T
rust
ees
Mee
ting;
see
ww
w.u
rban
.org
/healt
h/o
ldp
ol.
htm
l.
9
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•O
ur
eld
ers
are
bec
om
ing
mo
re i
sola
ted
fro
m t
hei
r fa
mil
ies.
-M
ost
eld
ers
liv
e al
on
e.
-N
atio
nal
ly,
eld
ers
no
t li
vin
g w
ith
rel
ativ
es o
r li
vin
g a
lon
e w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e p
oo
r (2
5%)
in 1
992,
th
an e
lder
sw
ho
are
liv
ing
in
a f
amil
ial-
typ
e re
lati
on
ship
(6%
).
-E
lder
ly p
aren
ts l
ivin
g a
par
t fr
om
th
eir
chil
dre
n a
re m
ore
lik
ely
to
use
so
cial
ser
vic
es t
han
eld
erly
par
ents
res
idin
gw
ith
th
eir
chil
dre
n.5
-E
lder
ly w
om
en o
utn
um
ber
eld
erly
men
, an
d a
re l
ess
lik
ely
th
an m
en t
o l
ive
in a
fam
ily
set
tin
g.
Aft
er a
ge
75, m
ost
wo
men
are
wid
ow
ed a
nd
liv
e al
on
e, w
hil
e m
ost
men
are
mar
ried
an
d l
ive
wit
h t
hei
r w
ives
. T
hu
s, w
hil
e m
ost
eld
erly
men
hav
e a
spo
use
fo
r as
sist
ance
, esp
ecia
lly
wh
en h
ealt
h f
ails
, mo
st e
lder
ly w
om
en d
o n
ot.
In
199
3, 8
in 1
0n
on
inst
itu
tio
nal
ized
eld
erly
wh
o l
ived
alo
ne
wer
e w
om
en.
-T
he
lik
elih
oo
d o
f li
vin
g i
n a
nu
rsin
g h
om
e in
crea
ses
wit
h a
ge.
In
199
0, o
ver
73,
000
Flo
rid
ian
s re
sid
ed i
n n
urs
ing
ho
mes
. N
inet
y p
erce
nt
of
all
nu
rsin
g h
om
e re
sid
ents
are
eld
erly
; 7 i
n 1
0 ar
e fe
mal
e, a
nd
1 i
n 3
is
a w
om
an a
ged
85
or
ov
er.
•A
s th
e p
op
ula
tio
n a
ges
, mo
re p
eop
le w
ill f
ace
bec
om
ing
dep
end
ent
on
oth
ers
for
hel
p in
per
form
ing
th
e ac
tiv
itie
s o
f d
aily
liv
ing
-T
he
lik
elih
oo
d o
f h
avin
g a
dis
abil
ity
in
crea
ses
wit
h a
ge.
In
199
7, a
mo
ng
th
ose
65
to 6
9 y
ears
old
, 44
.9%
ad
so
me
form
of
dis
abil
ity
, 30.
7% h
ad a
sev
ere
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 8
.1%
nee
ded
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
Fo
r th
ose
80
yea
rs o
ld a
nd
ov
er, 7
3.6%
had
so
me
form
of
dis
abil
ity
, 57.
6% h
ad a
sev
ere
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 3
4.9%
nee
ded
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
-In
199
0, e
lder
ly p
erso
ns
wit
h a
sel
f-ca
re o
r m
ob
ilit
y l
imit
atio
n w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e p
oo
r (2
0%)
than
eld
erly
per
son
s w
ith
ou
t su
ch l
imit
atio
ns
(11%
).
-T
he
rate
of
fun
ctio
nal
lim
itat
ion
is
hig
her
am
on
g e
lder
ly B
lack
s th
an W
hit
es.
Am
on
g t
he
po
pu
lati
on
65
yea
rs a
nd
ov
er,
59%
of
Bla
cks
had
on
e o
r m
ore
fu
nct
ion
al l
imit
atio
ns
com
par
ed w
ith
49%
of
Wh
ites
. T
he
lim
itat
ion
s w
ere
mo
re l
ikel
y t
o b
e se
ver
e am
on
g e
lder
ly B
lack
s, a
s 40
% h
ad l
imit
atio
ns
that
wer
e se
ver
e co
mp
ared
wit
h 2
7% o
fW
hit
e el
der
ly.6
-O
ver
all,
in
199
7 w
om
en m
ade
up
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
the
ind
ivid
ual
s w
ith
dis
abil
itie
s, i
ncl
ud
ing
sev
ere
dis
abil
itie
s,an
d t
ho
se n
eed
ing
per
son
al a
ssis
tan
ce.
5N
amk
ee G
. Ch
oi,
“P
atte
rns
and
Det
erm
inan
ts o
f S
oci
al S
erv
ice
Uti
liza
tio
n:
Co
mp
aris
on
of
the
Ch
ild
less
Eld
erly
an
d E
lder
ly P
aren
tsL
ivin
g W
ith
or
Ap
art
fro
m T
hei
r C
hil
dre
n,”
T
he
Ger
on
tolo
gis
t, V
ol.
34,
No
. 3,
199
4, p
p.
353-
362.
6U
nit
ed S
tate
s C
ensu
s B
ure
au’s
Sta
tist
ical
Bri
ef S
ixty
-Fiv
e P
lus
in t
he
U.S
. an
d 1
997
Cu
rren
t P
op
ula
tio
n R
epo
rt b
y J
ack
McN
eil,
Am
eric
ans
wit
h D
isab
ilit
ies
Ho
use
ho
ld E
con
om
ic S
tud
ies,
iss
ued
Feb
ruar
y 2
001;
see
ww
w.c
ensu
s.g
ov
/p
op
ula
tio
n/
esti
mat
es/
stat
e/st
98el
der
ly.t
xt
10
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Ad
dit
ion
ally
, ad
ult
s o
f an
y a
ge
may
bec
om
e in
cap
acit
ated
an
d r
equ
ire
the
app
oin
tmen
t o
f a
gu
ard
ian
, on
an
eit
her
per
man
ent
or
tem
po
rary
bas
is.
Oft
enti
mes
, g
uar
dia
nsh
ip i
s n
eces
sary
to
en
sure
th
e ca
re o
f in
div
idu
als
wit
h d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
itie
sw
ho
hav
e re
ach
ed t
he
age
of
maj
ori
ty.
Men
tal d
iso
rder
s m
ay a
lso
req
uir
e th
e ap
po
intm
ent
of
a g
uar
dia
n.
As
stat
ed in
a r
ecen
tre
po
rt b
y t
he
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Su
rgeo
n G
ener
al, “
men
tal
hea
lth
an
d m
enta
l il
lnes
ses
are
imp
ort
ant
con
cern
s at
all
ag
es.7
” S
om
eil
lust
rati
ve
fact
s fo
llo
w:
•N
earl
y 2
mil
lio
n p
eop
le, o
r al
mo
st 2
2%, o
f th
e ci
vil
ian
no
nin
stit
uti
on
aliz
ed p
op
ula
tio
n in
Flo
rid
a b
etw
een
th
e ag
es o
f 21
and
64,
hav
e a
dis
abil
ity
.8
•D
evel
op
men
tal
Dis
abil
itie
s:
-A
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y i
s a
chro
nic
co
nd
itio
n t
hat
sig
nif
ican
tly
lim
its
a p
erso
n’s
ab
ilit
y t
o s
pea
k,
hea
r, s
ee,
wal
k,
lear
n,
or
per
form
fu
nd
amen
tal
task
s in
vo
lved
in
pro
vid
ing
sel
f-ca
re,
liv
ing
in
dep
end
entl
y,
or
earn
ing
ali
vin
g.7
-T
he
maj
ori
ty o
f p
eop
le w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
hav
e m
ore
th
an o
ne
dis
abil
ity
, an
d m
ost
hav
e d
isab
lin
gco
nd
itio
ns
that
are
in
tell
ectu
al o
r em
oti
on
al i
n n
atu
re.7
-B
ecau
se t
hei
r d
isab
ilit
ies
rest
rict
th
eir
com
mu
nic
atio
n, m
ob
ilit
y, a
nd
ab
ilit
y t
o c
are
for
them
selv
es, p
eop
le w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
may
rel
y o
n a
ssis
tan
ce f
rom
oth
ers.
9
-S
even
teen
per
cen
t (1
7%)
of
Un
ited
Sta
tes
chil
dre
n u
nd
er 1
8 h
ave
a d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, an
d 2
% o
f sc
ho
ol-
aged
ch
ild
ren
in
th
e U
nit
ed S
tate
s h
ave
a se
rio
us
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y s
uch
as
men
tal
reta
rdat
ion
.10
•M
enta
l D
iso
rder
s:1
1
-M
enta
l d
iso
rder
s ar
e h
ealt
h c
on
dit
ion
s th
at a
re c
har
acte
rize
d b
y a
lter
atio
ns
in t
hin
kin
g, m
oo
d, o
r b
ehav
ior
asso
-ci
ated
wit
h d
istr
ess
and
/o
r im
pai
red
fu
nct
ion
ing
.
7M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
epo
rt o
f th
e S
urg
eon
Gen
eral
, ww
w.s
urg
eon
gen
eral
.go
v/
lib
rary
/m
enta
lhea
lth
/h
om
e.h
tml .
8U
.S.
Cen
sus
Bu
reau
, C
ensu
s 20
00.
9F
lori
da
Dev
elo
pm
enta
l D
isab
ilit
ies
Co
un
cil,
In
c., w
ww
.fd
cc.o
rg;
see
also
Ch
apte
r 39
3, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.1
0C
DC
Nat
ion
al C
ente
r o
n B
irth
Def
ects
an
d D
evel
op
men
tal
Dis
abil
itie
s, w
ww
.cd
c.g
ov
/n
cbd
dd
/d
d/.
11M
enta
l H
ealt
h:
A R
epo
rt o
f th
e S
urg
eon
Gen
eral
, ww
w.s
urg
eon
gen
eral
.go
v/
lib
rary
/m
enta
lhea
lth
/h
om
e.h
tml ;
see
also
Ch
apte
r 39
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
11
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-D
evas
tati
ng
dis
ord
ers
such
as
sch
izo
ph
ren
ia, d
epre
ssio
n a
nd
bip
ola
r d
iso
rder
, dem
enti
a in
clu
din
gA
lzh
eim
er’s
dis
ease
, an
d a
ran
ge
of
oth
er m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s af
fect
nea
rly
on
e in
fiv
e A
mer
ican
s in
an
yy
ear.
-In
th
e U
nit
ed S
tate
s, m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s co
llec
tiv
ely
acc
ou
nt
for
mo
re t
han
15%
of
the
ov
eral
l b
urd
en o
fd
ise
ase
fro
m a
ll c
au
ses
an
d s
lig
htl
y m
ore
th
an
th
e b
urd
en
ass
oci
ate
d w
ith
all
fo
rms
of
can
cer.
-T
he
soci
al c
on
seq
uen
ces
of
seri
ou
s m
enta
l d
iso
rder
s, s
uch
as
fam
ily
dis
rup
tio
n, l
oss
of
emp
loy
men
tan
d h
ou
sin
g, c
an b
e ca
lam
ito
us.
Flo
rid
a’s
yo
uth
po
pu
lati
on
(ag
es 0
-19)
has
als
o s
ho
wn
in
crea
sin
g g
row
th r
ates
ov
er t
he
pas
t30
yea
rs a
nd
no
w a
cco
un
ts f
or
ov
er 2
5% o
f th
e S
tate
’s p
op
ula
tio
n.1
2 I
n c
ircu
mst
ance
s w
her
eth
e p
aren
ts d
ie o
r b
eco
me
inca
pac
itat
ed o
r if
a c
hil
d r
ecei
ves
an
in
her
itan
ce o
r p
roce
eds
of
ala
wsu
it o
r in
sura
nce
po
licy
ex
ceed
ing
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
, th
e co
urt
mu
st a
pp
oin
ta
gu
ard
ian
.
Th
e in
evit
able
ag
ing
of
ou
r S
tate
an
d N
atio
n, a
lon
g w
ith
sit
uat
ion
s le
adin
g t
o m
ino
r g
uar
d-
ian
ship
as
wel
l as
th
e in
cid
ence
of
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
and
men
tal
dis
ord
ers,
wil
lin
flu
ence
pu
bli
c p
oli
cy c
on
sid
erat
ion
s fo
r th
e fo
rese
eab
le f
utu
re,
and
in
div
idu
als,
fam
ilie
s,an
d g
ov
ern
men
ts w
ill
be
forc
ed t
o c
on
fro
nt
soci
al,
eco
no
mic
, an
d e
thic
al c
ho
ices
. A
lrea
dy
the
Flo
rid
a le
gal
sy
stem
is
con
fro
nti
ng
iss
ues
an
d s
eek
ing
an
swer
s to
ess
enti
al i
ssu
es,
such
as h
ow
th
e co
urt
s w
ill
be
able
to
ad
equ
atel
y e
xer
cise
th
eir
leg
al, e
thic
al, a
nd
mo
ral
resp
on
si-
bil
itie
s to
mo
nit
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
nd
pro
tect
th
e in
cap
acit
ated
war
ds
entr
ust
ed t
o t
hei
rca
re.
Th
e ex
pan
din
g c
ult
ura
l dif
fere
nce
s o
f w
ard
s in
th
e fu
ture
wil
l als
o d
eman
d a
n in
crea
s-in
g c
ult
ura
l co
mp
eten
ce a
mo
ng
jud
ges
an
d c
ou
rt s
taff
ass
ign
ed t
o g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
12F
lori
da
Dem
ogra
phic
Sum
mar
y,
updat
ed O
ctober
2002,
The
Flo
rida
Leg
isla
ture
, O
ffic
e of
Eco
nom
ic &
Dem
ogra
phic
Res
earc
h;
see
ww
w.s
tate
.fl.
us/
ed
r/
po
pu
lati
on
.htm
.
Sce
na
rio
: A
fa
the
r is
kil
led
in
an
au
tom
ob
ile
acci
den
t, l
eav
ing
a w
ife
an
d t
hre
e m
ino
r ch
il-
dre
n.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip is
nec
essa
ry t
o s
ettl
e th
eca
se,
all
oca
te t
he
pro
-ce
ed
s b
etw
ee
n
the
mo
the
r a
nd
ch
ild
ren
,a
nd
re
ceiv
e
the
chil
dre
n’s
sh
are
of
the
pro
ceed
s.
12
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EF
FE
CT
IVE
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
MO
NIT
OR
ING
IS
ES
SE
NT
IAL
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is a
dis
tin
ct a
nd
un
iqu
e ty
pe
of
case
. U
nli
ke
oth
er c
ases
, gu
ard
ian
ship
s m
ay r
emai
n o
pen
fo
r y
ears
or
even
dec
ades
, par
ticu
larl
y i
n c
ases
in
vo
lvin
g i
nd
ivid
ual
s w
ith
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies
or
men
tal
dis
ord
ers.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is a
lso
dif
fere
nt
bec
ause
alt
ho
ug
h i
t b
egin
s w
ith
an
ad
ver
sari
al h
eari
ng
, o
nce
in
cap
acit
y h
as b
een
det
erm
ined
, th
ere
are
usu
ally
no
“ad
ver
sari
es”
to b
rin
g c
on
cern
s to
th
e co
urt
’s a
tten
tio
n.
Th
us,
th
e co
urt
mu
st b
e p
roac
tiv
e to
dis
cov
er a
nd
resp
on
d t
o d
isp
ute
s an
d i
ssu
es.
Th
e ro
le o
f a
gu
ard
ian
is h
igh
ly c
om
ple
x, i
nv
olv
ing
leg
al, m
edic
al, s
oci
al, f
inan
cial
, an
d p
sych
olo
gic
al d
imen
sio
ns.
Man
yg
uar
dia
ns
are
fam
ily
mem
ber
s o
f th
e w
ard
s an
d h
ave
no
ex
per
ien
ce w
ith
gu
ard
ian
ship
. T
hes
e fa
mil
y m
emb
ers
may
be
emp
loy
ed a
nd
hav
e ch
ild
ren
fo
r w
ho
m t
hey
mu
st c
are,
wh
ile
sim
ult
aneo
usl
y s
erv
ing
as
gu
ard
ian
fo
r th
eir
agin
g p
aren
tso
r o
ther
in
cap
acit
ated
fam
ily
mem
ber
s. M
ost
gu
ard
ian
s an
d a
tto
rney
s d
o a
n a
dm
irab
le jo
b p
rote
ctin
g t
he
inte
rest
s o
f th
ew
ard
s, b
ut
som
e n
eed
ad
dit
ion
al g
uid
ance
an
d o
ver
sig
ht.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
r ca
n a
ssis
t g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys
inco
rrec
tin
g m
ino
r p
rob
lem
s an
d b
y m
akin
g r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns
for
that
co
rrec
tio
n t
o t
he
cou
rt.
Su
ch g
uid
ance
by
th
e g
uar
d-
ian
ship
mo
nit
or
can
oft
en a
llev
iate
th
e n
eed
fo
r a
cou
rt h
eari
ng
, th
ereb
y c
on
serv
ing
ju
dic
ial
reso
urc
es f
or
tho
se f
ewin
stan
ces
in w
hic
h g
uar
dia
ns
are
mis
usi
ng
th
eir
auth
ori
ty.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
req
uir
es o
n-g
oin
g c
ou
rt in
vo
lvem
ent
and
su
per
vis
ion
. In
198
6, t
he
Nat
ion
al C
on
fere
nce
of
the
Jud
icia
ry o
nG
uar
dia
nsh
ip P
roce
edin
gs
for
the
Eld
erly
sai
d t
hat
“g
iven
th
e lo
ss o
f li
ber
ties
in
vo
lved
, th
e v
uln
erab
ilit
y o
f el
der
lyw
ard
s, a
nd
th
e n
eed
to
en
sure
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
alte
rnat
ive,
it
is e
ssen
tial
th
at t
he
cou
rt r
ecei
ve
and
rev
iew
in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
the
stat
us
and
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
,an
d a
ctio
ns
the
gu
ard
ian
has
tak
en.”
G
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g i
s a
mec
han
ism
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s ca
n u
se t
o r
evie
w a
gu
ard
ian
’s a
ctiv
itie
s, a
sses
s th
e w
ell-
bei
ng
of
the
war
d, a
nd
en
sure
th
at t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
are
bei
ng
pro
tect
ed.
It is
als
o c
lear
th
at f
un
din
g o
f ad
dit
ion
al ju
dg
esh
ips
to r
edu
ce t
he
nu
mb
er o
f g
uar
d-
ian
ship
cas
es t
hat
an
in
div
idu
al j
ud
ge
mu
st o
ver
see
is n
eith
er c
ost
eff
ecti
ve
no
rp
oss
ible
giv
en t
he
curr
ent
con
dit
ion
of
Flo
rid
a’s
eco
no
my
. H
ow
ever
, by
em
plo
yin
gb
usi
nes
s-li
ke
pra
ctic
es, u
sin
g s
up
po
rt p
erso
nn
el, a
nd
im
ple
men
tin
g t
ech
no
log
y t
om
anag
e in
form
atio
n r
ecei
ved
by
th
e co
urt
, it
wil
l be
po
ssib
le t
o a
cco
mp
lish
mu
ch o
fth
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht
req
uir
emen
ts c
od
ifie
d b
y t
he
Leg
isla
ture
in
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e m
issi
on
of
gua
rdia
nsh
ipm
on
ito
rin
g is
to
co
llec
t, p
rov
ide,
an
d e
va
lua
te i
nfo
rma
tio
n a
bo
ut
the
wel
l-b
ein
g a
nd
pro
per
ty o
f a
llp
erso
ns
ad
jud
ica
ted
of
ha
vin
g a
lega
l in
cap
aci
ty s
o t
ha
t th
e co
urt
can
fu
lfil
l it
s le
gal
ob
liga
tio
n t
op
rote
ct a
nd
pre
serv
e th
e in
tere
sts
of
the
wa
rd, a
nd
th
ereb
y p
rom
ote
con
fid
ence
in
th
e ju
dic
ial
pro
cess
.
13
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TH
E C
UR
RE
NT
SIT
UA
TIO
N I
N F
LO
RID
A I
S D
ES
CR
IBE
D A
T P
UB
LIC
HE
AR
ING
S
At
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s ar
ou
nd
th
e st
ate,
th
e C
om
mit
tee
hea
rd t
esti
mo
ny
ab
ou
t th
e n
eed
fo
r in
crea
sed
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t o
f g
uar
dia
n-
ship
cas
es, a
s w
ell
as a
deq
uat
e re
sou
rces
to
en
able
all
th
e p
rofe
ssio
nal
s in
vo
lved
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
to
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
yp
erfo
rm t
hei
r re
spec
tiv
e fu
nct
ion
s.
Jud
icia
l In
pu
t
Th
e S
ixth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
Th
e S
ixth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
has
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g s
taff
wh
o a
re f
un
ded
by
Pas
co a
nd
Pin
ella
s co
un
ties
. T
he
circ
uit
is
no
w u
tili
zin
g t
he
firm
s an
d a
ud
it p
roce
du
res
dev
elo
ped
in
th
e S
even
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it.
Th
e T
hir
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
In la
rger
cir
cuit
s w
her
e th
e ca
selo
ads
war
ran
t a
sep
arat
e d
ivis
ion
, ty
pic
ally
on
e o
r v
ery
few
jud
ges
are
ass
ign
ed t
o t
he
Pro
bat
e,G
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
Men
tal H
ealt
h D
ivis
ion
. In
sm
alle
r ci
rcu
its,
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es a
re u
sual
ly h
eard
by
an
y o
f th
e ju
dg
es w
ho
are
assi
gn
ed t
o t
he
gen
eral
Civ
il D
ivis
ion
. Ju
dg
e S
usa
n S
exto
n, A
dm
inis
trat
ive
Jud
ge
of
the
Pro
bat
e D
ivis
ion
in t
he
Th
irte
enth
Jud
icia
l C
ircu
it,
is t
he
on
ly j
ud
ge
assi
gn
ed t
o o
ver
see
app
rox
imat
ely
7,0
00 p
rob
ate,
gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d m
enta
l h
ealt
h c
ases
.W
hen
sh
e w
as i
nit
iall
y a
ssig
ned
to
th
e d
ivis
ion
, sh
e re
ceiv
ed o
nly
th
e g
uar
dia
n r
epo
rt a
nd
a c
om
pu
tati
on
of
the
fin
anci
alre
po
rt,
wh
ich
was
per
form
ed b
y t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice.
A
s a
jud
ge,
sh
e w
as c
on
cern
ed t
hat
sh
e h
ad n
eith
er t
he
tim
e n
or
adeq
uat
etr
ain
ing
to
pro
per
ly r
evie
w t
he
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns.
S
he
bel
iev
es t
hat
ad
dit
ion
al j
ud
icia
l ed
uca
tio
nsh
ou
ld b
e p
rov
ided
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
rep
ort
s.
Pri
or
to t
he
esta
bli
shm
ent
of
the
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
ther
e w
as n
o c
ase
man
agem
ent
and
on
ly l
imit
ed ju
dic
ial
asse
ssm
ent
for
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n t
he
Th
irte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
he
Eld
er J
ust
ice
Cen
ter
was
est
abli
shed
in
Oct
ob
er 1
999,
th
rou
gh
gra
nt
fun
din
g f
rom
mu
ltip
le s
ou
rces
. W
ith
th
e C
ente
r’s
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
, th
e co
urt
no
w h
as t
he
abil
ity
to
ap
pro
pri
atel
yre
vie
w g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
an
d m
ake
info
rmed
dec
isio
ns
reg
ard
ing
th
e w
ard
s.
Th
e E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r u
tili
zes
a g
uar
dia
n-
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m t
hat
in
clu
des
bo
th p
rofe
ssio
nal
sta
ff a
nd
vo
lun
teer
in
tern
s fr
om
th
e U
niv
ersi
ty o
f S
ou
th F
lori
da
Sch
oo
l o
f S
oci
al W
ork
an
d S
tets
on
Un
iver
sity
Co
lleg
e o
f L
aw.
Th
e C
ente
r’s
go
al i
s to
vis
it e
ver
y w
ard
at
leas
t o
nce
a y
ear.
Th
e le
ng
th o
f ti
me
it t
akes
to
rev
iew
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ile
is r
epo
rted
to
ran
ge
fro
m 3
0 m
inu
tes
to f
ou
r h
ou
rs,
wh
ich
in
clu
des
rev
iew
of
the
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
pla
ns
are
aud
ited
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
rep
ort
s ar
eco
mp
lete
. E
lder
Ju
stic
e C
ente
r st
aff
loo
k f
or
con
tin
uit
y a
nd
ch
ang
es s
ince
th
e la
st r
epo
rts
wer
e fi
led
. T
hey
als
o r
evie
w t
he
rep
ort
s to
en
sure
th
at a
ll q
ues
tio
ns
hav
e b
een
th
oro
ug
hly
an
swer
ed a
nd
ad
equ
ate
info
rmat
ion
has
bee
n p
rov
ided
. If
a p
ote
n-
tial
pro
ble
m is
no
ted
in t
he
init
ial r
evie
w, i
t m
ay r
esu
lt in
th
e ca
se b
ein
g “
flag
ged
” an
d a
co
urt
mo
nit
or
bei
ng
ap
po
inte
d b
y t
he
jud
ge
pu
rsu
ant
to s
ecti
on
744
.107
, Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes.
14
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Th
e F
ifte
en
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Jud
ge
Joh
n W
esse
l, o
f th
e F
ifte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, to
ld t
he
Co
mm
itte
e th
at d
uri
ng
his
ser
vic
e in
th
e P
rob
ate
Div
isio
n h
eb
ecam
e aw
are
that
jud
ges
an
d c
lerk
s o
f co
urt
– d
esp
ite
thei
r b
est
effo
rts
– w
ere
stil
l m
issi
ng
a l
ot
of
pro
ble
ms
in g
uar
dia
nsh
ipca
ses.
He
pro
vid
ed b
ack
gro
un
d in
form
atio
n o
n t
he
dev
elo
pm
ent
of
the
AA
RP
mo
del
fo
r v
olu
nte
er g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rs.
Inth
e A
AR
P m
od
el,
cou
rts
uti
lize
vo
lun
teer
s to
res
earc
h t
he
file
s, v
isit
th
e w
ard
s, a
nd
rep
ort
bac
k t
o t
he
cou
rt.
Ju
dg
e W
esse
ln
ote
d t
hat
th
e A
AR
P w
ith
dre
w f
rom
th
e in
itia
tiv
e in
199
8 an
d t
he
nat
ion
al p
roje
ct l
ead
er h
as s
ince
ret
ired
, so
sta
te c
ou
rts
are
no
w o
n t
hei
r o
wn
wit
h i
mp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f th
e p
rog
ram
.
Jud
ge
Wes
sel
succ
essf
ull
y i
mp
lem
ente
d a
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Fif
teen
th C
ircu
it,
wit
h v
ery
lit
tle
tax
pay
erfu
nd
ing
. H
ow
ever
, th
ere
are
dra
wb
ack
s to
th
e v
olu
nte
er m
od
el, h
e in
dic
ated
. F
or
exam
ple
, th
e fi
nan
cial
au
dit
ing
fu
nct
ion
was
excl
ud
ed f
rom
th
e v
olu
nte
er p
rog
ram
in
th
e F
ifte
enth
Cir
cuit
bec
ause
of
con
fid
enti
alit
y c
on
cern
s.
Oth
er l
imit
atio
ns
of
the
pro
gra
m i
ncl
ud
e th
e fa
ct t
hat
th
ey a
re o
nly
ab
le t
o s
erv
e o
ne-
hal
f o
f th
e co
un
ty a
nd
th
e co
nti
nu
ing
ch
alle
ng
e o
f m
oti
vat
ing
peo
ple
to
ser
ve
as v
olu
nte
ers.
Nev
erth
eles
s, t
hes
e v
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
rs a
re t
he
eyes
an
d e
ars
of
the
cou
rt,
and
are
a s
afeg
uar
d f
or
the
war
d.
Aft
er r
ecei
vin
gtr
ain
ing
, th
e v
olu
nte
er is
req
uir
ed t
o r
evie
w t
he
file
, vis
it t
he
war
d, a
nd
co
mp
lete
rep
ort
fo
rms.
Th
e co
urt
has
fo
un
d t
hat
ab
ou
t20
% o
f th
e w
ard
s w
ho
are
vis
ited
hav
e so
me
kin
d o
f p
rob
lem
th
at n
eed
s to
be
add
ress
ed.
Aft
er r
evie
win
g t
he
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
or’
s re
po
rt, t
he
cou
rt t
akes
fo
llo
w-u
p a
ctio
n w
hen
nec
essa
ry a
nd
ap
pro
pri
ate.
If
th
ere
app
ears
to
be
a su
bst
anti
al p
rob
-le
m,
Jud
ge
Wes
sel
may
ap
po
int
an e
xp
erie
nce
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
co
urt
mo
nit
or
to f
urt
her
in
ves
tig
ate
the
situ
atio
n,
pri
or
to c
ou
rtac
tio
n.
Th
e S
ev
en
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Bo
b T
wo
mey
, su
per
vis
or
of
the
cou
rt m
on
ito
r u
nit
in
th
e S
even
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it,
spo
ke
abo
ut
thei
r p
rog
ram
wh
ich
was
esta
bli
shed
ap
pro
xim
atel
y s
ix y
ears
ag
o.
Th
ey p
erfo
rm t
wo
maj
or
fun
ctio
ns:
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s g
ener
ated
by
co
urt
ord
ers
tog
uar
d a
gai
nst
ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct,
exp
loit
atio
n,
and
th
eft;
an
d a
nn
ual
bac
kg
rou
nd
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
on
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns.
Th
ere
are
ov
er 5
,000
act
ive
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es i
n B
row
ard
Co
un
ty.
Th
e u
nit
co
nd
uct
s ab
ou
t 40
0 fi
eld
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
per
yea
r,an
d t
hei
r ef
fort
s h
ave
un
cov
ered
cri
mes
th
at r
esu
lted
in
ref
erra
ls t
o t
he
stat
e at
torn
ey f
or
pro
secu
tio
n.
Mr.
Tw
om
ey n
ote
d t
hat
in h
is e
xp
erie
nce
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
crim
es a
re c
om
mit
ted
by
fam
ily
-mem
ber
gu
ard
ian
s, r
ath
er t
han
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns.
Mr.
Tw
om
ey b
elie
ves
ev
ery
cir
cuit
sh
ou
ld h
ave
a m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f w
ard
s.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
also
rec
eiv
ed a
pre
sen
tati
on
on
th
e ac
cou
nti
ng
so
ftw
are
dev
elo
ped
by
th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it,
wh
ich
was
des
ign
ed t
o a
dd
ress
in
con
sist
enci
es a
nd
pro
ble
ms
that
wer
e o
ccu
rrin
g o
n a
reg
ula
r b
asis
. W
ith
in
pu
t fr
om
th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rtan
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
tto
rney
s, t
he
cou
rt d
evel
op
ed a
nd
im
ple
men
ted
sta
nd
ard
ized
gu
ard
ian
ship
acc
ou
nti
ng
an
d p
lan
fo
rms
that
all
ow
th
e co
urt
to
co
nd
uct
mo
re e
ffec
tiv
e an
d e
ffic
ien
t re
vie
ws
of
the
init
ial i
nv
ento
ry, a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
, in
itia
l pla
n, a
nd
ann
ual
pla
n.
15
![Page 18: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Th
e st
and
ard
ized
rep
ort
ing
fo
rms
resu
lted
in m
ore
co
mp
lete
fil
ing
s, r
edu
ced
co
rres
po
nd
ence
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
th
e g
uar
d-
ian
, gre
ater
eff
ecti
ven
ess
and
eff
icie
ncy
du
rin
g t
he
init
ial r
evie
w o
f fi
lin
gs,
a r
edu
ctio
n in
rev
iew
tim
e, a
red
uct
ion
in b
ack
log
ged
fili
ng
s, a
nd
mo
re t
ime
avai
lab
le t
o p
erfo
rm d
etai
led
au
dit
s.
Th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it e
stab
lish
ed a
th
ree-
lev
el a
ud
it p
rog
ram
th
at u
tili
zes
the
stan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
s:
•L
evel
On
e: a
ud
it a
ll a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
s w
ith
a f
ive-
step
au
dit
pro
cess
.•
Lev
el T
wo
: per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
all
rep
ort
s th
at a
re f
ou
nd
to
be
in c
om
pli
ance
at
Lev
el O
ne
wit
h L
evel
Tw
och
eck
list
.•
Lev
el T
hre
e: p
erfo
rm s
tati
stic
al s
amp
lin
g o
f co
mp
lain
t re
po
rts
fro
m L
evel
Tw
o.
Det
aile
d i
n-h
ou
se a
nd
fie
ld a
ud
its
of
sup
po
rtin
g d
ocu
men
tati
on
wil
l b
e p
erfo
rmed
on
th
e se
lect
ed s
amp
le.
Th
e E
igh
teen
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it
Jud
ge
Nan
cy A
lley
, fro
m t
he
Eig
hte
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, wh
o s
erv
ed a
s b
oth
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
an
d a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
or-
ney
pri
or
to b
eco
min
g a
jud
ge,
ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
the
abil
ity
to
do
her
job
wel
l in
th
e ab
sen
ce o
f co
urt
sta
ff t
o a
ssis
t w
ith
rev
iew
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e cl
erk
s o
f co
urt
in
th
e E
igh
teen
th C
ircu
it p
erfo
rm e
xce
llen
t fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s, s
he
said
, b
ut
ther
e ar
e o
ther
pro
ble
ms
that
are
no
t o
bv
iou
s o
n p
aper
. A
mo
ng
th
e p
rob
lem
s sh
e h
as o
bse
rved
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es:
gu
ard
-ia
ns
are
no
t fi
lin
g t
hei
r an
nu
al r
epo
rts
on
tim
e, g
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t sh
ow
up
fo
r h
eari
ng
s in
res
po
nse
to
ord
ers
to s
ho
w c
ause
, an
dg
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t co
op
erat
e w
ith
th
eir
atto
rney
s. I
f re
sou
rces
wer
e av
aila
ble
, sh
e w
ou
ld h
ire
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
to
ass
ist
in m
on
ito
r-in
g t
he
tim
elin
ess
of
fili
ng
s, r
evie
win
g t
he
resu
lts
of
the
cler
k’s
au
dit
, co
nd
uct
ing
sp
ot
chec
ks,
an
d p
erfo
rmin
g m
enta
l h
ealt
hfo
llo
w-u
ps.
Cle
rk o
f C
ou
rt I
np
ut
Jed
Pit
tman
, Cle
rk o
f C
ou
rt i
n P
asco
Co
un
ty, d
escr
ibed
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
as
real
fo
llo
w-t
hro
ug
h o
n t
he
stat
uto
ry p
rov
i-si
on
s th
at w
ere
enac
ted
to
pro
tect
th
e w
ard
. H
is o
ffic
e u
tili
zes
cert
ifie
d i
nte
rnal
au
dit
ors
, an
d c
on
du
cts
com
pre
hen
siv
e an
dth
oro
ug
h r
evie
ws
of
the
fin
anci
al a
cco
un
tin
gs.
Th
e w
ork
of
the
cou
rt m
on
ito
r su
pp
lem
ents
– n
ot
sup
pla
nts
– t
he
cler
k’s
rev
iew
.M
on
ito
rs a
re t
he
eyes
of
the
cou
rt.
Th
ey c
an s
ee w
het
her
th
e w
ard
act
ual
ly h
as lo
dg
ing
, fo
od
, clo
thin
g, a
nd
tre
atm
ent
app
rop
ri-
ate
to t
he
war
d’s
co
nd
itio
n.
Wal
ly D
ye,
th
e au
dit
or
in t
he
Pas
co C
ou
nty
Cle
rk’s
Off
ice,
als
o s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
wo
rk o
f th
eir
off
ice.
He
rep
ort
ed t
hat
th
ey s
cree
np
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s; h
ow
ever
, st
aff
wh
o w
ork
fo
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e n
ot
scre
ened
. H
e b
elie
ves
sta
ff w
ho
wo
rkd
irec
tly
wit
h w
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e re
qu
ired
to
mee
t so
me
of
the
sam
e re
qu
irem
ents
as
gu
ard
ian
s.
Def
init
ion
s o
f fi
nan
cial
au
dit
ssh
ou
ld b
e d
evel
op
ed a
nd
au
dit
ing
sta
nd
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e ad
op
ted
, he
reco
mm
end
ed.
He
bel
iev
es a
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
sh
ou
ldb
e d
on
e, b
ecau
se i
n t
hei
r ex
per
ien
ce,
rev
iew
ing
on
ly c
ases
wh
ere
a p
rob
lem
is
rep
ort
ed i
s n
ot
suff
icie
nt
to p
rote
ct w
ard
s an
dth
eir
asse
ts.
Tra
inin
g,
exp
erie
nce
, an
d b
ack
gro
un
d o
f au
dit
ors
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
als
o b
e d
efin
ed,
as t
her
e ar
e cu
r-re
ntl
y n
o r
equ
irem
ents
in
th
is r
egar
d.
16
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In h
is p
osi
tio
n a
t th
e o
ffic
e o
f th
e C
oll
ier
Co
un
ty C
lerk
of
Co
urt
, Bru
ce B
rist
er a
ud
its
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es w
ith
a t
ota
l of
app
rox
i-m
atel
y $
75 m
illi
on
in
ass
ets.
T
he
aver
age
case
has
ab
ou
t $1
00,0
00 i
n a
sset
s ea
rnin
g 5
% i
nte
rest
. H
e b
elie
ves
fin
anci
al a
ud
its
sho
uld
be
req
uir
ed in
all
ty
pes
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es, w
ith
dif
fere
nt
lev
els
of
aud
it r
evie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Th
e au
dit
or
sho
uld
be
org
aniz
atio
nal
ly lo
cate
d in
th
e P
rob
ate
Dep
artm
ent
of
the
Cle
rk’s
Off
ice,
Bri
ster
sai
d, b
ecau
se t
hat
str
uct
ure
has
co
ntr
ibu
ted
to t
he
succ
ess
of
the
aud
itin
g p
rog
ram
in
Co
llie
r C
ou
nty
, bec
ause
it
allo
ws
him
to
sta
y i
nfo
rmed
ab
ou
t ca
se f
ilin
gs,
hea
rin
gs,
and
oth
er m
atte
rs.
Cit
ize
n I
np
ut
Ste
ve
Ho
wel
ls, a
pro
gra
m d
irec
tor
wit
h t
he
Ad
vo
cacy
Cen
ter
for
Per
son
s w
ith
Dis
abil
itie
s, I
nc.
, sai
d t
her
e is
ab
use
, neg
lect
, an
dm
isu
se o
f w
ard
s’ f
un
ds
in F
lori
da,
as
evid
ence
d b
y t
he
com
pla
ints
rec
eiv
ed b
y t
he
Ad
vo
cacy
Cen
ter
as w
ell
as v
ario
us
med
iare
po
rts.
He
no
ted
th
at w
ard
s ar
e am
on
g t
he
mo
st v
uln
erab
le c
itiz
ens
in o
ur
Sta
te, a
nd
sai
d t
hat
Flo
rid
a co
urt
s n
eed
to
hav
e a
mo
nit
ori
ng
sy
stem
in
pla
ce t
o p
rote
ct w
ard
s.
Sco
tt F
ish
er,
a ci
tize
n f
rom
Pal
m H
arb
or
wh
ose
au
nt
had
bee
n a
war
d,
spo
ke
pas
sio
nat
ely
ab
ou
t th
e co
urt
’s d
uty
to
pro
tect
vu
lner
able
in
div
idu
als.
H
e ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn t
hat
in
cap
acit
ated
per
son
s w
ill
no
t b
e ad
equ
atel
y p
rote
cted
as
lon
g a
s th
ere
are
no
ap
pro
pri
ate
stan
dar
ds,
gu
idel
ines
, an
d o
ver
sig
ht,
on
a s
tate
wid
e b
asis
.
Gu
ard
ian
In
pu
t
Ker
ry F
itzg
eral
d a
nd
Meg
Wo
lf, t
hen
-Pre
sid
ent
and
Vic
e-P
resi
den
t o
f th
e B
row
ard
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip A
sso
ciat
ion
, sai
d it
isa
hig
h c
alli
ng
to
be
app
oin
ted
to
ser
ve
on
beh
alf
of
an i
nca
pac
itat
ed p
erso
n, a
nd
hig
h s
tan
dar
ds
mu
st a
pp
ly.
Th
e A
sso
ciat
ion
sup
po
rts
the
dev
elo
pm
ent
of
stat
ewid
e st
and
ard
s fo
r m
on
ito
rin
g o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
. T
hey
no
ted
th
at F
lori
da’
s ra
pid
ly-
agin
g s
oci
ety
is
vu
lner
able
, an
d t
her
e is
a g
reat
nee
d f
or
qu
alif
ied
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
wh
o a
re w
illi
ng
to
pro
vid
e lo
vin
gca
re, s
ecu
rity
, an
d s
afet
y t
o c
lien
ts, b
ased
on
th
eir
ind
ivid
ual
nee
ds.
Jud
ith
Bax
ter,
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
in P
asco
Co
un
ty, s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
un
ifo
rmit
y in
th
e sy
stem
– a
mo
ng
gu
ard
ian
s,at
torn
eys,
cle
rks,
an
d ju
dg
es.
Th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
yst
em s
ho
uld
be
effe
ctu
ated
in
a m
utu
ally
-res
pec
tfu
l, c
ost
-eff
ecti
ve
man
ner
that
res
ult
s in
th
e b
est
serv
ice
to t
he
war
d.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
hea
rd t
hat
co
urt
pra
ctic
es i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
var
ies
wid
ely
, no
to
nly
fro
m c
ircu
it t
o c
ircu
it b
ut
som
etim
es e
ven
wit
hin
th
e sa
me
cou
nty
. A
dd
itio
nal
ly, t
he
cou
rt’s
ex
pec
tati
on
s ar
e n
ot
alw
ays
clea
r. B
ette
r co
mm
un
icat
ion
am
on
g t
he
cou
rt, a
tto
rney
, an
d g
uar
dia
n s
aves
tim
e, a
s w
ell
as c
on
serv
es t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Pro
fess
ion
als
fro
m a
rou
nd
th
e st
ate
spo
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
stat
ewid
e eq
uit
y in
th
e co
mp
ensa
tio
n o
f g
uar
dia
ns
and
att
orn
eys.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
was
ad
vis
ed t
hat
man
y h
igh
ly q
ual
ifie
d p
rofe
ssio
nal
s h
ave
left
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip f
ield
, an
d m
any
pro
fess
ion
als
bel
iev
e th
at t
he
curr
ent
gu
ard
ian
ship
co
mp
ensa
tio
n s
yst
em –
wh
ich
is
cum
ber
som
e an
d s
low
– d
isco
ura
ges
man
y f
rom
en
ter-
ing
th
e p
rofe
ssio
n.
Do
nn
a H
ick
s an
d C
orr
ey P
asto
re, o
f th
e P
inel
las
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip A
sso
ciat
ion
, to
ld t
he
Co
mm
itte
e it
is n
ot
un
usu
al f
or
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
to w
ait
six
mo
nth
s fo
r th
eir
firs
t p
aym
ent.
17
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Ad
dit
ion
ally
, g
uar
dia
n f
ees
are
freq
uen
tly
red
uce
d b
y t
he
pre
sid
ing
ju
dic
ial
off
icer
, w
ith
ou
t fi
rst
info
rmin
g t
he
gu
ard
ian
sab
ou
t th
e d
ocu
men
tati
on
th
e co
urt
wo
uld
lik
e.
Th
ese
dif
ficu
ltie
s ar
e co
mp
ou
nd
ed b
y t
he
hea
vy
lo
ad o
f in
dig
ent
case
s fo
rw
hic
h p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s re
ceiv
e n
o c
om
pen
sati
on
. In
so
me
circ
uit
s, u
p to
50
per
cen
t of
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
’s c
asel
oad
is p
ro b
on
o.
Mr.
Pas
tore
als
o s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Six
th J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it.
He
said
th
e p
rog
ram
is
wel
l-es
tab
lish
ed, h
avin
g b
een
imp
lem
ente
d in
Pin
ella
s C
ou
nty
pri
or
to 1
990.
Wh
en f
irst
imp
lem
ente
d, t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m w
asg
reet
ed w
ith
fea
r, b
ut
no
w e
ver
yo
ne
wo
rks
tog
eth
er a
nd
th
e p
rog
ram
wo
rks
ver
y w
ell.
H
e b
elie
ves
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t is
nec
es-
sary
. I
n t
hei
r ci
rcu
it,
the
mo
nit
or
firs
t tr
ies
to r
eso
lve
any
iss
ues
in
form
ally
, b
efo
re t
he
pro
ble
m e
scal
ates
. T
he
gu
ard
ian
an
dat
torn
ey a
re n
oti
fied
bef
ore
th
e m
on
ito
r ta
kes
an
iss
ue
to t
he
cou
rt,
bu
t if
th
e m
on
ito
r ca
nn
ot
reso
lve
an i
ssu
e, M
r. P
asto
reb
elie
ves
it
is t
he
mo
nit
or’
s d
uty
to
no
tify
th
e co
urt
.
Joh
n G
ran
t, t
he
init
ial
and
fo
rmer
Ex
ecu
tiv
e D
irec
tor
of
the
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip O
ffic
e, w
hic
h w
as e
stab
lish
ed i
n19
99, p
oin
ted
ou
t th
at c
urr
entl
y i
n F
lori
da,
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
hav
e v
ery
lim
ited
lic
ensi
ng
an
d t
rain
ing
req
uir
emen
ts, a
nd
ther
e is
no
dis
cip
lin
ary
pro
cess
. F
urt
her
, th
ey a
re n
ot
trea
ted
as
pro
fess
ion
als.
He
bel
iev
es F
lori
da
is f
acin
g n
ot
on
ly a
cri
sis
inin
dig
ent
gu
ard
ian
s, b
ut
also
in
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns.
In
so
me
circ
uit
s, t
her
e is
no
t a
sin
gle
act
ive
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n, h
ep
oin
ted
ou
t.
Nu
mer
ou
s m
emb
ers
of
the
Flo
rid
a S
tate
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Ass
oci
atio
n s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
Ass
oci
atio
n’s
eff
ort
s to
in
crea
se p
rofe
s-si
on
alis
m, t
hro
ug
h t
he
imp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f im
pro
ved
tra
inin
g, a
men
tori
ng
pro
gra
m, a
nd
a s
tate
wid
e re
gis
try
. K
ny
vet
t L
ee, a
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n in
Bro
war
d C
ou
nty
, su
gg
este
d t
hat
im
ple
men
tati
on
of
stan
dar
ds
of
pra
ctic
e w
ou
ld a
llev
iate
so
me
of
the
pro
ble
ms
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
ad
dre
sses
. Ju
dit
h B
axte
r, P
resi
den
t o
f th
e P
asco
Co
un
ty G
uar
dia
nsh
ip C
ou
nci
l, e
xp
lain
edth
at s
pec
iali
zed
kn
ow
led
ge
is r
equ
ired
to
per
form
wel
l as
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
. S
he
bel
iev
es t
he
40-h
ou
r tr
ain
ing
co
urs
e is
inad
equ
ate,
an
d t
hat
a m
ore
def
ined
cu
rric
ulu
m i
s n
eces
sary
. S
he
and
oth
er p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s ap
pea
rin
g b
efo
re t
he
Co
mm
itte
e su
pp
ort
sta
tew
ide
stan
dar
ds
rela
tin
g t
o b
ack
gro
un
d, e
xp
erie
nce
, an
d t
rain
ing
of
gu
ard
ian
s.
Man
y p
eop
le a
pp
eari
ng
at
the
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s p
rov
ided
inp
ut
on
th
e p
roce
ss o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g.
Gar
y A
rmst
ron
g, a
nac
cou
nta
nt
and
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n in
Bro
war
d C
ou
nty
, sai
d h
e fa
vo
rs m
ore
str
uct
ure
an
d r
evie
w in
th
e co
urt
sy
stem
. C
ou
rtm
on
ito
rin
g is
par
ticu
larl
y im
po
rtan
t in
fam
ily
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, h
e o
bse
rved
, bec
ause
on
ly e
igh
t h
ou
rs o
f tr
ain
ing
is r
equ
ired
(as
com
par
ed t
o t
he
40-h
ou
r co
urs
e fo
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s).
Gu
ard
ian
ship
dea
ls w
ith
co
mp
lex
, d
iffi
cult
iss
ues
, an
d h
e is
ho
pef
ul
that
a f
orm
aliz
ed c
ou
rt m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss w
ill
be
an e
du
cati
on
al t
oo
l to
ass
ist
all
gu
ard
ian
s in
im
pro
vin
g s
erv
ice
tow
ard
s. H
e ad
vo
cate
d t
hat
mo
nit
ori
ng
be
tail
ore
d t
o t
he
ind
ivid
ual
nee
ds,
cir
cum
stan
ces,
an
d f
inan
ces
of
the
war
ds.
In
ord
er t
ou
nd
erst
and
th
e si
tuat
ion
, th
e m
on
ito
rs m
ust
fam
ilia
rize
th
emse
lves
no
t o
nly
wit
h t
he
du
ties
an
d r
esp
on
sib
ilit
ies
of
the
gu
ard
-ia
ns
bu
t al
so t
he
enti
re s
erv
ice
del
iver
y s
yst
em.
Dat
a co
llec
ted
in c
on
cert
wit
h g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g w
ill p
rov
ide
info
rma-
tio
n t
o d
ecis
ion
mak
ers
such
as
the
Su
pre
me
Co
urt
an
d L
egis
latu
re,
and
th
is e
nh
ance
d i
nfo
rmat
ion
co
uld
res
ult
in
im
pro
ve-
men
ts t
o t
he
enti
re g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
yst
em.
1
8
![Page 21: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Att
orn
ey
In
pu
t
Mat
thew
Map
er, a
n a
tto
rney
in S
aras
ota
an
d t
hen
-pre
sid
ent
of
the
Flo
rid
a S
tate
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Ass
oci
atio
n, d
escr
ibed
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip a
s a
soci
al i
ssu
e in
a l
egal
fra
mew
ork
. W
hil
e n
oti
ng
th
at c
hec
ks
and
bal
ance
s ar
e im
po
rtan
t in
en
suri
ng
th
e w
ell
bei
ng
of
war
d,
he
bel
iev
es t
he
curr
ent
stat
uto
ry s
chem
e –
if f
ull
y i
mp
lem
ente
d –
wo
uld
pre
ven
t m
any
of
the
pro
ble
ms
rep
ort
ed t
o t
he
Co
mm
itte
e. J
oan
Nel
son
Ho
ok
, an
att
orn
ey, s
ug
ges
ted
th
at b
y r
aisi
ng
th
e co
mp
eten
cy o
f g
uar
dia
ns,
Flo
rid
a ca
n le
ssen
th
e n
eed
for
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
Lau
chli
n W
ald
och
, at
th
at t
ime
chai
r-el
ect
of
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
, ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
the
po
ten
tial
incr
ease
d c
ost
s to
th
e w
ard
an
d g
uar
dia
n i
f an
oth
er l
ayer
of
bu
reau
crac
y i
s ad
ded
to
th
e sy
stem
. S
he
spo
ke
abo
ut
the
nee
d f
or
flex
ibil
ity
in g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
s, to
all
ow
fo
r d
iffe
ren
t ap
pro
ach
es in
dif
fere
nt a
reas
of
the
stat
e. M
arti
n M
ick
ler,
a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
tto
rney
in
Jac
kso
nv
ille
, su
gg
este
d t
hat
th
e m
ajo
rity
of
pro
ble
ms
resu
lt f
rom
in
exp
erie
nce
d o
r in
com
pet
ent
gu
ard
ian
s, r
ath
er t
han
dis
ho
nes
t g
uar
dia
ns.
He
no
ted
th
at m
on
ito
rs s
ho
uld
hav
e ap
pro
pri
ate
qu
alif
icat
ion
s.
Nao
mi
Beh
ar S
mit
h, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
ey i
n B
row
ard
Co
un
ty, e
cho
ed t
he
com
men
ts r
egar
din
g t
he
nee
d f
or
adeq
uat
e tr
ain
-in
g o
f g
uar
dia
n m
on
ito
rs.
A w
ell-
trai
ned
an
d e
xp
erie
nce
d m
on
ito
r ca
n d
o a
n e
xce
llen
t jo
b.
Co
nv
erse
ly,
po
orl
y t
rain
ed o
rin
exp
erie
nce
d c
ou
rt m
on
ito
rs c
an h
ave
an a
dv
erse
im
pac
t:
(a)
on
th
e w
ard
, es
pec
iall
y i
f th
e m
on
ito
r’s
fees
are
pai
d f
rom
th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s; (
b)
on
jud
icia
l re
sou
rces
, sin
ce m
on
ito
r m
ista
kes
wil
l re
qu
ire
a g
ener
al m
aste
r o
r ju
dg
e to
rev
iew
an
d/
or
corr
ect;
and
(c)
in
crea
sed
tim
e o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e g
uar
dia
n a
nd
att
orn
ey t
o r
esp
on
d.
Fo
r th
ese
reas
on
s, M
s. S
mit
h r
eco
mm
end
ed t
hat
fu
nd
ing
fo
r m
on
ito
r tr
ain
ing
be
incl
ud
ed in
th
e co
mm
itte
e’s
reco
mm
end
atio
ns.
Sin
ce g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g w
ill,
in
th
e lo
ng
ru
n, i
mp
rov
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip s
erv
ices
fo
r al
l w
ard
s, s
he
bel
iev
ed t
he
cost
fo
r th
ese
rvic
e an
d t
rain
ing
sh
ou
ld b
e sp
read
acr
oss
th
e b
oar
d r
ath
er t
han
pai
d f
rom
an
ind
ivid
ual
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Ste
ph
en M
arg
uli
s, a
nat
torn
ey a
nd
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n i
n P
lan
tati
on
, ag
reed
. H
e sa
id a
deq
uat
e fu
nd
ing
is
req
uir
ed f
or
the
wo
rk t
hat
nee
ds
to b
ed
on
e. W
ard
s an
d g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
no
t h
ave
to b
ear
the
enti
re c
ost
of
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
Kn
yv
ett
Lee
in
dic
ated
sh
e h
as h
ad p
osi
tiv
e ex
per
ien
ces
wit
h t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Sev
ente
enth
Ju
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
, bu
to
bse
rved
th
at t
her
e ar
e p
rob
lem
s w
ith
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
that
rel
y e
nti
rely
on
vo
lun
teer
s. C
on
cern
s ab
ou
t v
olu
nte
er m
on
i-to
rs w
ere
rep
eate
d b
y p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s fr
om
aro
un
d t
he
stat
e. V
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
rs w
ere
des
crib
ed a
s w
ell m
ean
ing
, bu
to
ften
tim
es la
ckin
g in
kn
ow
led
ge
and
ex
per
ien
ce o
f th
e co
mp
lex
med
ical
, fin
anci
al, a
nd
leg
al is
sues
inv
olv
ed i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip.
Sy
lvia
Win
ters
, a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
in S
aras
ota
an
d M
anat
ee c
ou
nti
es, r
elat
ed t
hat
th
e fo
rmer
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
mo
del
in t
he
Tw
elft
h J
ud
icia
l C
ircu
it d
id n
ot
wo
rk w
ell,
an
d d
oes
no
t b
elie
ve
a v
olu
nte
er o
rgan
izat
ion
can
ad
equ
atel
y p
erfo
rm t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
. S
he
rela
ted
an
inci
den
t w
her
ein
th
e v
olu
nte
er m
on
ito
r as
ked
th
e g
uar
dia
n f
or
gu
idan
ce o
n h
ow
to
inv
es-
tig
ate
the
case
.
19
![Page 22: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Vet
eran
s’ A
dm
inis
trat
ion
In
pu
t
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
lear
ned
that
the
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Dep
artm
ent o
f Vet
eran
s A
ffai
rs p
erfo
rms
exte
nsi
ve
mo
nit
ori
ng
of V
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ips,
and
th
at t
he
syst
em is
wo
rkin
g w
ell.
Dav
id B
entl
ey, a
fie
ld e
xam
iner
wit
h t
he
U.S
. Dep
artm
ent
of
Vet
eran
s A
ffai
rs, i
s o
ne
of
10fi
eld
ex
amin
ers
in F
lori
da.
H
e sa
id t
hei
r p
rog
ram
is
ver
y s
imil
ar t
o t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m u
tili
zed
by
th
e S
even
teen
thJu
dic
ial
Cir
cuit
. T
hey
clo
sely
mo
nit
or
ever
y c
ase
and
req
uir
e fo
rmal
acc
ou
nti
ng
s in
so
me
case
s.
Fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
rep
ort
sin
clu
de
12 e
lem
ents
, in
clu
din
g p
hy
sica
l an
d m
enta
l co
nd
itio
n, t
he
con
tin
uin
g n
eed
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
oth
er i
ssu
es.
Th
ere
is a
sig
nif
ican
t le
vel
of
rev
iew
an
d t
he
VA
wil
l p
urs
ue
and
pro
secu
te m
isu
se o
f an
y a
mo
un
t o
f m
on
ey o
r b
enef
its.
In
abo
ut
2% o
f th
e ca
ses
they
fin
d c
rim
inal
wro
ng
do
ing
, bu
t in
ab
ou
t 40
% o
f th
e ca
ses
they
hav
e q
ues
tio
ns
that
can
be
reso
lved
thro
ug
h a
dm
inis
trat
ion
act
ion
or
oth
er r
esp
on
se.
Ev
en t
ho
ug
h t
hey
alr
ead
y c
on
du
ct e
xte
nsi
ve
rev
iew
an
d m
on
ito
rin
g,
VA
rep
rese
nta
tiv
es b
elie
ve
it w
ou
ld s
till
be
app
rop
riat
e fo
r th
e co
urt
to
clo
sely
mo
nit
or
VA
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Jam
es H
oll
ing
swo
rth
, a f
ield
ex
amin
er i
n t
he
St.
Pet
ersb
urg
off
ice
des
crib
ed a
mo
nit
or
as s
om
eon
e w
ho
go
es o
ut
into
th
e fi
eld
and
kn
ock
s o
n t
he
war
d’s
do
or,
no
t so
meo
ne
wh
o r
evie
ws
pap
erw
ork
. H
e b
elie
ved
it
was
im
po
rtan
t to
kn
ow
wh
eth
er a
war
dis
bei
ng
car
ed f
or
pro
per
ly.
Pap
ers
can
be
in p
erfe
ct o
rder
, b
ut
pro
ble
ms
are
iden
tifi
ed i
n t
he
fiel
d n
ot
in t
he
off
ice.
H
eo
bse
rved
th
at m
ost
att
orn
eys
and
ev
en s
om
e g
uar
dia
ns
do
no
t ac
tual
ly v
isit
th
e w
ard
. M
on
ito
rs a
lso
rev
iew
th
e im
po
rtan
tas
pec
t o
f th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
env
iro
nm
ent.
Acc
ord
ing
to
Mr.
Ho
llin
gsw
ort
h,
the
VA
fie
ld e
xam
iner
s in
Flo
rid
a m
on
ito
r 5,
300
acti
ve
gu
ard
ian
ship
s, i
ncl
ud
ing
bo
th c
ou
rtan
d n
on
-co
urt
cas
es.
Eac
h f
ield
ex
amin
er s
up
erv
ises
ab
ou
t 50
0 ca
ses.
All
war
ds
are
seen
on
a s
ched
ule
d b
asis
: ev
ery
on
e, t
wo
,o
r th
ree
yea
rs, a
nd
mo
re o
ften
if
ther
e is
a p
rob
lem
.
Mar
tin
Mic
kle
r, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
ey i
n J
ack
son
vil
le, s
po
ke
abo
ut
the
ben
efit
of
the
chec
ks
and
bal
ance
s th
at a
re i
n p
lace
to
ensu
re t
he
war
ds’
pro
tect
ion
in
VA
gu
ard
ian
ship
s.
He
also
op
ined
th
at s
cru
tin
y b
y t
he
VA
fie
ld e
xam
iner
is
a tr
emen
do
us
hel
p.
Mik
e F
ore
man
off
ered
co
mm
ents
an
d o
bse
rvat
ion
s o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e G
uar
dia
nsh
ip C
om
mit
tee
of
the
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, P
rob
ate,
and
Tru
st L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
. H
e sp
ok
e ab
ou
t th
e n
eed
fo
r m
ore
un
ifo
rmit
y a
mo
ng
th
e tr
ial
cou
rts,
in
reg
ard
to
spec
iali
zed
fo
rms,
ap
pro
val
pro
cess
es, a
nd
gu
ard
ian
ship
an
d a
tto
rney
fee
s. T
he
sect
ion
is c
on
cern
ed w
ith
en
suri
ng
ad
her
ence
to d
ue
pro
cess
wh
en m
on
ito
rs a
re u
tili
zed
, an
d b
elie
ves
the
gu
ard
ian
or
atto
rney
sh
ou
ld b
e al
low
ed to
res
po
nd
to th
e m
on
ito
r’s
rep
ort
. M
r. F
ore
man
als
o c
alle
d f
or
enco
ura
gin
g p
ract
itio
ner
s to
en
ter
the
gu
ard
ian
ship
fie
ld, w
her
e p
rofe
ssio
nal
s ar
e co
nti
nu
-al
ly d
eali
ng
wit
h p
eop
le i
n c
rise
s si
tuat
ion
s.
20
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MIN
IMU
M S
TA
ND
AR
DS
FO
R G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G
Th
e m
ajo
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s ar
e la
w a
bid
ing
an
d a
re d
ilig
entl
y f
ulf
illi
ng
th
eir
com
ple
x r
esp
on
sib
ilit
ies.
H
ow
ever
, a
smal
l p
er-
cen
tag
e ar
e n
ot
pro
per
ly h
and
lin
g g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs,
and
as
a re
sult
, m
on
ito
rin
g m
ay b
e n
eces
sary
. M
inim
um
req
uir
e-m
ents
fo
r co
urt
mo
nit
ori
ng
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
be
esta
bli
shed
. W
hil
e th
e sy
stem
sh
ou
ld b
e fl
exib
le a
nd
rec
og
niz
eth
at o
ne
size
do
es n
ot
fit
all,
th
e in
div
idu
al c
ircu
mst
ance
s o
f th
e w
ard
sh
ou
ld b
e th
e g
uid
ing
fac
tor
rath
er t
han
th
e in
div
idu
alci
rcu
mst
ance
s o
f th
e ci
rcu
it.
It i
s m
ore
eff
icie
nt
and
eff
ecti
ve
– an
d t
her
efo
re i
n e
ver
yo
ne’
s b
est
inte
rest
s –
for
the
cou
rts
to b
e p
roac
tiv
e in
en
suri
ng
co
mp
li-
ance
. T
he
cost
of
no
n-c
om
pli
ance
in
clu
des
fee
s fo
r an
in
ves
tig
ato
r, a
n a
tto
rney
, an
acc
ou
nta
nt,
an
d o
ther
pro
fess
ion
als
as m
ayb
e re
qu
ired
, in
ad
dit
ion
to
an
y p
hy
sica
l, e
mo
tio
nal
, o
r fi
nan
cial
lo
sses
a w
ard
may
su
stai
n.
Lac
k o
f m
on
ito
rin
g b
y t
he
cou
rtim
po
ses
incr
ease
d c
ost
s d
irec
tly
on
vu
lner
able
war
ds
– o
r in
th
e ca
se o
f in
dig
ent
war
ds,
on
th
e ta
xp
ayer
s –
and
dra
ins
re-
sou
rces
. L
ack
of
pro
per
co
urt
ov
ersi
gh
t o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
mer
ely
sh
ifts
mo
nit
ori
ng
res
po
nsi
bil
itie
s to
att
orn
eys,
fam
ily
mem
ber
s, a
nd
oth
ers
wh
o m
ay n
ot
be
pro
per
ly t
rain
ed o
r eq
uip
ped
to
per
form
th
e f
un
ctio
ns
of
a p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or.
In
ad
dit
ion
, n
on
-co
mp
lian
ce r
esu
lts
in m
ore
ju
dic
ial
acti
vit
y,
wh
ich
in
tu
rn r
esu
lts
in a
dd
itio
nal
co
sts
to F
lori
da’
sci
tize
ns.
Att
orn
eys
and
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
wh
o a
pp
eare
d b
efo
re t
he
com
mit
tee
rep
eate
dly
ex
pre
ssed
co
nce
rn a
bo
ut
du
e p
roce
ssis
sues
ass
oci
ated
wit
h c
on
fid
enti
al c
om
mu
nic
atio
ns
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
r.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e th
or-
ou
gh
ly e
xp
lore
d a
nd
deb
ated
th
e m
atte
r.
Wh
ile
the
com
mit
tee
is s
ensi
tiv
e to
th
e fa
ct t
hat
att
orn
eys
and
gu
ard
ian
s m
ay p
er-
ceiv
e th
ere
is a
po
ten
tial
ex
par
te c
om
mu
nic
atio
n is
sue,
th
e co
mm
itte
e b
elie
ves
th
at in
rea
lity
th
ere
is n
o im
pro
pri
ety
as
lon
g a
sp
rop
er c
ou
rt p
roce
du
res
are
esta
bli
shed
, p
ub
lish
ed,
and
fo
llo
wed
. B
ecau
se t
he
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or
is a
n a
rm o
f th
e co
urt
and
wo
rks
at t
he
dir
ecti
on
of
the
jud
ge,
it
is p
erm
issi
ble
fo
r co
mm
un
icat
ion
bet
wee
n t
he
cou
rt a
nd
mo
nit
or
to b
e co
nfi
den
tial
(see
, fo
r ex
amp
le, r
ule
2.0
51(c
)(3)
(b),
Flo
rid
a R
ule
s o
f Ju
dic
ial
Ad
min
istr
atio
n).
Nev
erth
eles
s, t
he
com
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
atin
sofa
r as
po
ssib
le, t
he
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
cess
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansp
aren
t an
d o
pen
, an
d a
ll c
om
mu
nic
atio
ns
bet
wee
n t
he
mo
nit
or
and
the
jud
ge
sho
uld
be
in w
riti
ng
, bec
om
es p
art
of
the
con
fid
enti
al p
ort
ion
of
the
cou
rt f
ile,
an
d c
op
ies
pro
vid
ed t
o c
ou
nse
l an
do
ther
in
tere
sted
per
son
s as
pre
scri
bed
by
Flo
rid
a la
w.
Th
e m
on
ito
rin
g p
roce
ss s
ho
uld
be
wel
l def
ined
, an
d t
he
lev
el o
f re
vie
w a
nd
act
ion
sh
ou
ld b
e co
mm
ensu
rate
wit
h a
ny
po
ten
tial
for
har
m t
o t
he
war
d.
Th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld b
egin
wit
h t
he
leas
t re
stri
ctiv
e le
vel
of
cou
rt m
on
ito
rin
g t
hat
ad
equ
atel
y a
dd
ress
es t
he
con
cern
. T
he
foll
ow
ing
pro
ced
ure
s ap
ply
to
no
t o
nly
sit
uat
ion
s in
vo
lvin
g t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
bu
t al
so t
he
pro
tect
ion
of
the
war
d’s
ass
ets.
21
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1.In
cas
es w
her
e th
ere
do
es n
ot
app
ear
to b
e a
risk
of
seri
ou
s ir
rep
arab
le h
arm
, th
e ac
tio
n s
tep
s b
y t
he
cou
rt, b
ased
up
on
th
e p
rob
lem
id
enti
fied
, sh
ou
ld i
ncl
ud
e:
�T
he
jud
ge
ente
rs a
n o
rder
ap
po
inti
ng
a m
on
ito
r. T
he
war
d, g
uar
dia
n, a
tto
rney
, an
d a
ny
oth
er p
arti
es a
ren
oti
fied
of
the
app
oin
tmen
t u
po
n e
ntr
y o
f th
e o
rder
, as
pre
scri
bed
by
Flo
rid
a la
w.
�T
he
mo
nit
or
wo
rks
wit
h t
he
app
rop
riat
e en
titi
es t
o o
bta
in a
dd
itio
nal
in
form
atio
n, a
nd
su
bm
its
a w
ritt
enre
po
rt o
f fi
nd
ing
s an
d r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns
to t
he
cou
rt.
�T
he
cou
rt t
akes
ap
pro
pri
ate
acti
on
bas
ed u
po
n t
he
rep
ort
, up
to
an
d i
ncl
ud
ing
set
tin
g a
hea
rin
g i
f n
eces
-sa
ry.
Sin
ce t
he
com
mit
tee
lear
ned
th
at m
ost
gu
ard
ian
ship
def
icie
nci
es i
nv
olv
e b
enig
n r
epo
rtin
g d
iscr
ep-
anci
es a
nd
err
ors
, it
seem
s li
kel
y t
hat
man
y m
on
ito
rin
g i
ssu
es w
ill
be
reso
lved
at
this
sta
ge,
wit
ho
ut
the
nee
d f
or
a h
eari
ng
. T
his
alo
ne
sho
uld
red
uce
th
e co
st o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht.
�In
ex
trem
e o
r eg
reg
iou
s si
tuat
ion
s, t
he
cou
rt s
ho
uld
im
po
se a
pp
rop
riat
e sa
nct
ion
s ag
ain
st t
he
gu
ard
ian
and
/o
r at
torn
ey t
o r
ein
forc
e th
e se
rio
us
nat
ure
of
pro
tect
ing
war
ds
and
to
en
cou
rag
e fu
ture
co
mp
lian
ce.
2.
In
cas
es w
her
e it
ap
pea
rs t
her
e is
su
bst
anti
al l
ikel
iho
od
fo
r se
rio
us
irre
par
able
har
m (
sim
ilar
to
th
e in
jun
ctiv
e re
lief
stan
dar
d),
im
med
iate
act
ion
ste
ps
by
th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld i
ncl
ud
e b
ut
no
t b
e li
mit
ed t
o:
�T
he
jud
ge
ente
rs a
n o
rder
ap
po
inti
ng
a m
on
ito
r. A
t th
e ju
dg
e’s
dis
cret
ion
, th
e o
rder
of
app
oin
tmen
t m
ayn
ot
be
mad
e p
ub
lic
un
til
the
jud
ge
det
erm
ines
wh
eth
er t
her
e is
pro
bab
le c
ause
.�
Th
e m
on
ito
r w
ork
s w
ith
th
e ap
pro
pri
ate
enti
ties
to
ob
tain
ad
dit
ion
al i
nfo
rmat
ion
, an
d s
ub
mit
s a
wri
tten
rep
ort
of
fin
din
gs
and
rec
om
men
dat
ion
s to
th
e co
urt
.�
Sim
ult
aneo
usl
y, t
he
cou
rt s
ho
uld
im
med
iate
ly t
ake
any
oth
er a
pp
rop
riat
e ac
tio
ns
the
cou
rt d
eem
s n
eces
-sa
ry i
n a
cco
rdan
ce w
ith
Flo
rid
a la
w, i
ncl
ud
ing
:
-F
ilin
g a
n a
bu
se, n
egle
ct, o
r ex
plo
itat
ion
co
mp
lain
t w
ith
th
e D
epar
tmen
t o
f C
hil
dre
n a
nd
Fam
ilie
s,as
req
uir
ed b
y s
tatu
te.
-R
efer
ral
to l
oca
l la
w e
nfo
rcem
ent
agen
cies
or
the
stat
e at
torn
ey.
-C
on
du
ctin
g i
mm
edia
te h
eari
ng
s.
-
Is
uu
ing
su
bp
eon
as a
nd
su
mm
on
ses.
-E
nte
rin
g a
pp
rop
riat
e in
juct
ion
s in
vo
lvin
g a
sset
s.
-
Pro
vo
kin
g l
ette
rs.
2
2
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CO
MP
ON
EN
TS
OF
AN
ID
EA
L G
UA
RD
IAN
SH
IP M
ON
ITO
RIN
G P
RO
GR
AM
Th
ere
are
fou
r m
ajo
r se
rvic
e ar
eas
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
dir
ecte
d t
o f
ulf
illi
ng
th
e p
urp
ose
. E
ach
pro
vid
es a
dis
tin
ct f
un
ctio
nan
d d
esir
ed o
utc
om
e in
su
pp
ort
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
an
d c
an o
per
ate
ind
epen
den
tly
of
the
oth
ers.
Th
e fo
ur
maj
or
serv
ice
area
s o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g a
re:
1.
Init
ial
an
d O
n-G
oin
g S
creen
ing
an
d R
ev
iew
ing
of
Gu
ard
ian
s.
2.
Rep
ort
ing
on
th
e W
ell
-Bein
g o
f th
e W
ard
.
3.
Rep
ort
ing
on
th
e P
rote
ctio
n o
f th
e W
ard
’s A
ssets
.
4.C
ase
Ad
min
istr
atio
n.
Co
mp
reh
ensi
ve
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es r
equ
ires
th
at a
ll f
ou
r co
mp
on
ents
be
add
ress
ed t
o s
om
e d
egre
e, d
epen
din
go
n t
he
nu
mb
er o
f ca
ses
wit
hin
th
e ci
rcu
it a
nd
oth
er f
acto
rs. T
he
com
mit
tee
ack
no
wle
dg
es t
he
curr
ent
lack
of
adeq
uat
e fu
nd
ing
fo
rg
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g.
Th
e S
even
teen
th C
ircu
it c
urr
entl
y h
as s
om
e S
tate
fu
nd
ing
fo
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g,
wh
ich
is
com
-b
ined
wit
h g
ran
t an
d c
ou
nty
fu
nd
s.
Co
un
ty f
un
din
g s
up
po
rts
on
e fu
ll-t
ime
pro
fess
ion
al m
on
ito
r in
th
e S
ixth
Cir
cuit
. T
he
Th
ir-
teen
th C
ircu
it h
as a
mix
ture
of
loca
l an
d g
ran
t fu
nd
ing
th
at s
up
po
rts
two
fu
ll-t
ime
mo
nit
ors
an
d a
cad
re o
f st
ud
ents
. O
ver
th
e y
ears
,lo
w-c
ost
vo
lun
teer
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
ms
hav
e b
een
pil
ote
d w
ith
var
yin
g d
egre
es o
f su
cces
s in
th
e E
igh
th,
Tw
elft
h,
and
Fif
teen
thci
rcu
its.
Th
is f
un
din
g s
itu
atio
n m
ay b
e im
pac
ted
by
th
e fu
nd
ing
tra
nsi
tio
n c
om
mo
nly
kn
ow
n a
s “A
rtic
le V
: R
evis
ion
7.”
In
199
8, F
lori
da
vo
ters
ap
pro
ved
an
am
end
men
t to
th
e F
lori
da
Co
nst
itu
tio
n r
elat
ing
to
th
e fu
nd
ing
fo
r th
e ju
dic
ial b
ran
ch o
f g
ov
ern
men
t. P
rese
ntl
y,
wel
l o
ver
hal
f o
f th
e m
on
ey t
hat
per
mit
s th
e tr
ial
cou
rts
to f
un
ctio
n c
om
es n
ot
fro
m t
he
Sta
te b
ut
fro
m t
he
cou
nti
es. E
ffec
tiv
e Ju
ly 1
,20
04,
the
Sta
te m
ust
ass
um
e a
gre
ater
res
po
nsi
bil
ity
fo
r fu
nd
ing
th
e tr
ial
cou
rts.
T
his
ch
ang
e, w
hil
e re
pre
sen
tin
g a
ver
y s
mal
lam
ou
nt
of
the
enti
re S
tate
of
Flo
rid
a b
ud
get
, nev
erth
eles
s p
ose
s a
sig
nif
ican
t fi
scal
ch
alle
ng
e to
th
e L
egis
latu
re.
Un
der
th
e am
end
-m
ent,
th
e S
tate
wil
l be
resp
on
sib
le f
or
fun
din
g m
ost
asp
ects
of
the
Sta
te C
ou
rts
Sy
stem
, off
ices
of
stat
e at
torn
eys
and
pu
bli
c d
efen
d-
ers,
an
d c
ou
rt-a
pp
oin
ted
co
un
sel.
It
is
un
kn
ow
n a
t th
is t
ime
wh
at i
mp
act
the
fun
din
g t
ran
siti
on
may
hav
e o
n t
he
cou
rt’s
du
ty t
oad
equ
atel
y m
on
ito
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
that
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
be
fun
ded
in
ev
ery
cir
cuit
, re
gar
dle
ss o
f w
het
her
su
ch f
un
din
g i
s p
ro-
vid
ed t
hro
ug
h t
he
Sta
te o
r co
un
ties
. D
iffe
ren
t m
od
els
sho
uld
be
dev
elo
ped
an
d im
ple
men
ted
in t
he
var
iou
s ci
rcu
its,
dep
end
ing
on
the
case
load
an
d o
ther
lo
cal
req
uir
emen
ts.
At
a m
inim
um
:
•C
ircu
its
that
hav
e a
con
sist
ent
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
elo
ad i
n e
xce
ss o
f 2,
500
sho
uld
hav
e a
staf
fin
g c
om
ple
men
t th
at i
ncl
ud
es o
r a
llo
ws
acce
ss t
o c
ase
man
ager
s, i
nv
esti
gat
ors
, acc
ou
nta
nts
, an
d s
oci
al w
ork
ers.
In
mo
st c
ases
, th
ese
fun
ctio
ns
all
fall
wit
hin
th
e d
efin
itio
n o
f co
urt
mo
nit
or
(see
sec
tio
n 7
44.1
07, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
23
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•C
ircu
its
that
hav
e a
con
sist
ent g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
asel
oad
ran
gin
g f
rom
1,0
00-2
,500
sh
ou
ld h
ave
at le
ast o
ne
full
-tim
e m
on
i-to
r, a
nd
acc
ess
to s
up
ple
men
tal
reso
urc
es o
n d
eman
d.
•C
ircu
its
wit
h a
co
nsi
sten
t g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
asel
oad
of
less
th
an 1
,000
sh
ou
ld h
ave
acce
ss t
o a
pro
fess
ion
al m
on
ito
r an
d
o
ther
res
ou
rces
, on
dem
and
.
It i
s so
un
d p
ub
lic
po
licy
to
saf
egu
ard
th
e m
enta
l an
d p
hy
sica
l h
ealt
h o
f w
ard
s, a
nd
it
mak
es g
oo
d f
isca
l se
nse
to
en
sure
th
atth
eir
fin
anci
al a
sset
s ar
e p
rote
cted
an
d p
rud
entl
y i
nv
este
d.
Th
ese
pre
cau
tio
ns
wil
l en
able
ad
ult
s w
ho
are
in
cap
acit
ated
to
rem
ain
in
dep
end
ent
as l
on
g a
s p
oss
ible
, o
bv
iati
ng
th
e n
eed
fo
r p
rem
atu
re i
nst
itu
tio
nal
izat
ion
or
pu
bli
c as
sist
ance
. T
he
ben
efit
s re
aliz
ed f
rom
fu
nd
ing
ad
equ
ate
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
can
po
ten
tial
ly p
ay t
ang
ible
an
d i
nta
n-
gib
le d
ivid
end
s th
at o
utw
eig
h t
he
cost
of
the
pro
gra
ms,
bo
th i
n t
erm
s o
f th
e co
nse
rvat
ion
of
scar
ce r
eso
urc
es a
s w
ell
asfu
lfil
lin
g s
oci
ety
’s o
bli
gat
ion
to
pro
tect
th
e w
ell
bei
ng
of
its
mo
st v
uln
erab
le m
emb
ers.
F
urt
her
mo
re,
pu
rsu
ant
to s
ecti
on
744.
107,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes,
th
e ex
pen
dit
ure
s in
man
y c
ases
nee
d n
ot
be
sole
ly f
un
ded
by
pu
bli
c re
ven
ues
.
24
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1.
IN
ITIA
L A
ND
ON
-GO
ING
SC
RE
EN
ING
AN
D R
EV
IEW
ING
OF
GU
AR
DIA
NS
Th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s a
nd
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
pro
vid
e r
eq
uir
em
en
ts f
or
the
ap
po
intm
en
t a
nd
re
mo
va
l o
f g
ua
rdia
ns.
•C
hap
ter
744,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes,
pre
scri
bes
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
(a)
wh
o m
ay b
e ap
po
inte
d g
uar
dia
n o
f a
resi
den
t w
ard
, (
b)
con
sid
erat
ion
s in
ap
po
intm
ent
of
a g
uar
dia
n, (
c) a
pp
lica
tio
n f
or
app
oin
tmen
t, (
d)
cred
it a
nd
cri
min
al in
ves
tig
atio
ns,
and
(e)
gu
ard
ian
ed
uca
tio
n r
equ
irem
ents
.•
R
ule
5.5
90, P
rob
ate
Ru
les,
pre
scri
bes
th
e p
roce
du
res
for
app
lica
tio
n f
or
app
oin
tmen
t as
a g
uar
dia
n, d
iscl
osu
re s
tatm
ent,
an
d f
ilin
g.
Th
ese
ap
ply
to
(a)
in
div
idu
al a
pp
lica
nts
, (b
) n
on
-pro
fit
corp
ora
te g
uar
dia
ns,
(c)
fo
r p
rofi
tco
rpo
rati
on
s an
d a
sso
ciat
ion
s, a
nd
(d
) p
ub
lic
gu
ard
ian
s.•
Ru
le 5
.650
, Pro
bat
e R
ule
s, p
resc
rib
es t
he
pro
ced
ure
s fo
r re
sig
nat
ion
or
dis
qu
alif
icat
ion
of
gu
ard
ian
s, a
nd
ap
po
intm
ent
succ
esso
r.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
pro
vid
es s
up
po
rt t
o t
he
pre
sid
ing
jud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
o e
nsu
re t
hat
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
cou
rt r
ule
s an
d s
tatu
tes
are
foll
ow
ed.
To
ad
equ
atel
y s
cree
n a
nd
rev
iew
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns
as r
equ
ired
by
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
co
nd
uct
tim
ely
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
and
iss
ue
a w
ritt
en r
epo
rt t
o t
he
jud
ge
ind
icat
ing
:
•W
het
her
th
e ap
pli
cati
on
has
bee
n f
iled
an
d c
on
tain
s co
rrec
t in
form
atio
n.
•W
het
her
th
e g
uar
dia
n m
eets
th
e re
qu
isit
e st
atu
tory
qu
alif
icat
ion
s.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
has
sat
isfa
cto
rily
co
mp
lete
d t
he
edu
cati
on
al r
equ
irem
ents
.•
Th
e g
uar
dia
n’s
cre
dit
his
tory
.•
Wh
eth
er t
her
e ar
e an
y c
on
firm
ed r
epo
rts
of
abu
se o
r n
egle
ct b
y t
he
gu
ard
ian
.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
has
a h
isto
ry o
f cr
imin
al c
on
du
ct.
•T
he
nu
mb
er o
f w
ard
s to
wh
om
th
e g
uar
dia
n h
as a
lrea
dy
bee
n a
ssig
ned
.•
Te
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f o
ther
war
ds
un
der
th
e g
uar
dia
n’s
car
e.•
Wh
eth
er t
he
gu
ard
ian
is
a p
arty
to
an
y p
end
ing
lit
igat
ion
.•
Co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
gis
try
req
uir
emen
ts i
n s
ecti
on
744
.108
3, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s.
Th
e ex
ten
t to
wh
ich
th
e co
urt
is
able
to
pro
vid
e th
e d
esir
ed s
cree
nin
g s
erv
ices
is
dep
end
ent
on
th
e re
sou
rces
an
d f
un
din
gav
aila
ble
. T
his
ap
pli
es t
o b
oth
th
e sc
op
e o
f th
e in
itia
l scr
een
ing
an
d r
evie
w, a
s w
ell a
s to
th
e fr
equ
ency
of
sub
seq
uen
t re
vie
ws.
Th
e in
itia
l re
vie
w i
s cr
itic
al t
o t
he
cou
rt’s
det
erm
inat
ion
th
at t
he
app
lica
nt
for
gu
ard
ian
ship
is
in f
act
qu
alif
ied
an
d s
uit
able
fo
rth
e p
osi
tio
n.
In
dee
d,
his
tori
call
y a
nd
un
fort
un
atel
y,
thro
ug
h m
uch
of
the
stat
e th
ere
has
bee
n n
o v
erif
icat
ion
th
at a
pp
lica
nts
seek
ing
ap
po
intm
ent
as g
uar
dia
n e
ven
mee
t th
e st
atu
tory
req
uir
emen
ts.
To
mai
nta
in t
he
qu
alit
y a
nd
in
teg
rity
of
gu
ard
ian
s, i
tis
imp
ort
ant
to a
lso
hav
e an
on
go
ing
rev
iew
sy
stem
in p
lace
. S
cree
nin
g a
nd
rev
iew
ing
are
ess
enti
al w
hen
a c
om
pla
int
is lo
dg
edb
y t
he
fam
ily
or
oth
er i
nte
rest
ed p
arty
.
25
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Ho
wev
er,
no
t al
l in
cid
ence
s o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct a
re r
epo
rted
, an
d i
t is
im
po
rtan
t th
at t
her
e b
e an
in
dep
end
ent
rev
iew
per
form
ed o
n a
per
iod
ic b
asis
, pre
fera
bly
at
leas
t an
nu
ally
.
To
be
able
to
eff
ecti
vel
y s
cree
n a
nd
rev
iew
pro
spec
tiv
e g
uar
dia
ns
and
th
ereb
y c
om
ply
wit
h t
he
stat
uto
ry r
equ
irem
ents
, th
efo
llo
win
g r
eso
urc
es m
ust
be
avai
lab
le t
o t
he
cou
rt:
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•C
red
it r
epo
rtin
g s
erv
ices
.•
Cri
min
al h
isto
ry c
hec
ks
(sta
te a
nd
fed
eral
).•
Ab
use
reg
istr
y c
hec
ks.
•C
ou
rt d
ock
et c
hec
ks.
•H
ard
war
e an
d s
oft
war
e to
mai
nta
in a
dat
abas
e o
n s
tatu
s o
f g
uar
dia
ns.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
•S
taff
tra
inin
g o
n i
nte
rpre
tati
on
of
cred
it, a
bu
se, a
nd
cri
min
al h
isto
ry r
epo
rts.
•E
mp
loy
men
t v
erif
icat
ion
ch
eck
s.
Sta
ff w
ith
th
e fo
llo
win
g t
rain
ing
, exp
erie
nce
, an
d s
kil
ls
•In
ves
tig
ato
rs.
•A
dm
inis
trat
ive
sup
po
rt.
•P
eop
le w
ho
can
rev
iew
an
d i
nte
rpre
t cr
edit
his
tori
es, c
rim
inal
his
tory
ch
eck
s, a
nd
ab
use
reg
istr
ych
eck
s, a
nd
wh
o a
re f
amil
iar
wit
h c
ou
rt p
roce
du
res.
•S
om
eon
e to
fin
ger
pri
nt
gu
ard
ian
s.•
Info
rmat
ion
sy
stem
s su
pp
ort
an
d d
atab
ase
adm
inis
trat
ion
.
26
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2.
RE
PO
RT
ING
ON
TH
E W
EL
L-B
EIN
G O
F T
HE
WA
RD
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
nd
th
e P
rob
ate
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
def
ine
the
auth
ori
ty o
f a
gu
ard
ian
an
d t
he
serv
ice
and
rep
ort
ing
req
uir
emen
ts.
Th
ese
app
ly t
o t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
as
wel
l as
to
th
e p
rote
ctio
n o
f th
e w
ard
’s a
sset
s.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
ass
ists
wit
h t
he
coo
rdin
atio
n a
nd
ov
ersi
gh
t fu
nct
ion
s o
f th
e p
resi
din
g j
ud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
oen
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y r
epo
rt o
n t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
, a g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
sh
ou
ld t
ake
the
foll
ow
ing
ste
ps.
To
en
sure
th
at t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
is
adeq
uat
ely
ad
dre
ssed
, it
is
esse
nti
al t
he
cou
rt h
ave
the
mo
nit
ori
ng
cap
acit
y t
oev
alu
ate
any
co
mp
lain
ts o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct.
Ho
wev
er t
o p
rev
ent
inst
ance
s o
f ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct a
nd
to
en
sure
th
at t
he
war
d i
sb
ein
g p
rop
erly
car
ed f
or,
it is
als
o n
eces
sary
fo
r th
e co
urt
to
co
nd
uct
a p
erio
dic
, pre
fera
bly
an
an
nu
al, r
evie
w o
f th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ipp
lan
as
req
uir
ed b
y F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, m
ake
site
vis
its
to t
he
resi
den
ce o
f th
e w
ard
, an
d i
nte
rvie
w t
he
care
giv
ers
of
the
war
d.
Bec
ause
of
incr
easi
ng
ly l
imit
ed r
eso
urc
es a
nd
in
crea
sin
g c
asel
oad
s, t
he
cou
rts
wil
l b
e fa
ced
wit
h p
rio
riti
zin
g t
he
typ
es o
f as
sess
-m
ents
th
ey w
ill
be
able
to
co
nd
uct
. A
cco
rdin
gly
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
ask
s ar
e ar
ran
ged
in
rec
om
men
ded
ord
er o
f im
po
rtan
ce, b
egin
-n
ing
wit
h t
he
min
imu
m a
ccep
tab
le l
evel
to
id
eal.
Rea
list
ical
ly, s
carc
e re
sou
rces
mak
e it
lik
ely
th
at d
esk
wo
rk w
ill
be
per
form
edm
ore
fre
qu
entl
y t
han
vis
its;
ho
wev
er, f
ield
in
ves
tig
atio
n i
s p
refe
rab
le s
ince
th
at i
s an
eff
ecti
ve
mec
han
ism
fo
r d
isco
ver
ing
pro
b-
lem
s. A
dd
itio
nal
ly, i
n d
eter
min
ing
wh
en i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s/re
vie
ws
sho
uld
be
con
du
cted
, th
e co
urt
sh
ou
ld a
ct f
irst
wh
en t
her
e is
aco
nce
rn, a
nd
sec
on
dly
on
a r
and
om
bas
is.
A.
Vis
its
and
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e m
ade
and
su
spec
ted
ab
use
or
neg
lect
sh
ou
ld b
e re
po
rted
to
th
e co
urt
,p
rose
cuto
rs,
law
en
forc
em
en
t, t
he
De
pa
rtm
en
t o
f C
hil
dre
n a
nd
Fa
mil
ies,
an
d o
the
rs a
s a
pp
rop
ria
te.
B.
Vis
its
and
fie
ld i
nv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed a
nd
a c
on
cise
rep
ort
in
a s
tan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
at, w
hic
h w
ou
ldb
eco
me
par
t o
f th
e co
nfi
den
tial
po
rtio
n o
f th
e o
ffic
ial
cou
rt r
eco
rd, p
rov
ided
to
th
e co
urt
on
th
e st
atu
s o
f th
e w
ard
ind
icat
ing
wh
eth
er
•T
her
e ar
e si
gn
s o
f ab
use
or
neg
lect
.•
Th
e w
ard
’s f
oo
d a
nd
sh
elte
r ar
e ad
equ
ate.
•T
he
med
ical
, psy
chia
tric
, an
d p
hy
sica
l tr
eatm
ent
of
the
war
d a
re a
pp
rop
riat
e.•
A f
ind
ing
of
wh
eth
er t
he
care
bei
ng
pro
vid
ed t
o t
he
war
d i
s co
nsi
sten
t w
ith
th
e p
lan
.•
An
y B
aker
Act
pro
ceed
ing
s h
ave
bee
n i
nit
iate
d.
•T
he
war
d i
s re
ceiv
ing
an
y r
ehab
ilit
atio
n s
erv
ices
an
d/
or
ther
apie
s.•
Th
e p
refe
ren
ces
of
the
war
d h
ave
bee
n c
on
sid
ered
.•
Th
e p
lace
men
t o
f th
e w
ard
is
pro
po
rtio
nat
e to
th
e w
ard
’s f
inan
cial
sta
tus.
•T
he
gu
ard
ian
’s p
erfo
rman
ce i
s ad
equ
ate.
2
7
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C.
An
ass
essm
ent
of
the
leas
t re
stri
ctiv
e en
vir
on
men
t sh
ou
ld b
e m
ade
and
rep
ort
ed t
o t
he
cou
rt, i
ncl
ud
ing
in
for-
m
atio
n o
n:
•W
het
her
th
e p
lace
men
t is
th
e le
ast
rest
rict
ive
op
tio
n.
•T
he
abil
ity
of
the
war
d t
o r
egai
n c
apac
ity
an
d h
ave
par
tial
or
tota
l re
sto
rati
on
of
his
or
her
rig
hts
.•
Th
e ap
pro
pri
aten
ess
of
alte
rnat
ives
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
.
D.
Inv
esti
gat
ion
s sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed a
nd
a w
ritt
en r
epo
rt p
rov
ided
to
th
e co
urt
on
th
e co
mp
lete
nes
s, a
ccu
racy
,an
d v
alid
ity
of
the
ann
ual
pla
n t
hat
in
clu
des
:
•A
co
mp
aris
on
of
the
pla
n a
gai
nst
ch
eck
list
(s)
for
app
rop
riat
enes
s an
d c
om
ple
ten
ess.
•A
n a
sses
smen
t o
f th
e tr
uth
fuln
ess
of
the
info
rmat
ion
in
th
e p
lan
.•
A c
on
firm
atio
n t
hat
th
e w
ard
act
ual
ly r
esid
es w
her
e th
e p
lan
in
dic
ates
.•
A d
eter
min
atio
n t
hat
lis
ted
ph
ysi
cian
s ar
e re
ally
lic
ense
d h
ealt
h c
are
pro
vid
ers.
To
be
able
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
e w
ard
is b
ein
g a
deq
uat
ely
ad
dre
ssed
an
d p
rote
cted
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
eso
f re
sou
rces
mu
st b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Par
tner
ship
s/al
lian
ces
wit
h
•Educational facilities, such as community colleges or schools of social work, nursing, and gerontology.
13
•C
om
mu
nit
y r
eso
urc
es a
nd
ser
vic
e p
rov
ider
s.
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•T
ran
spo
rtat
ion
.
•R
egis
trie
s an
d d
irec
tori
es o
f av
aila
ble
ser
vic
es.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
•F
ore
ign
lan
gu
age
and
sig
n l
ang
uag
e in
terp
rete
rs.
Po
lici
es
an
d p
roce
du
res
for
staff
, st
ud
en
t in
tern
s, a
nd
vo
lun
teers
•M
anu
als.
•C
hec
kli
sts.
•P
roto
cols
.
13F
lori
da
is f
ort
unat
e in
bei
ng h
om
e to
a n
um
ber
of
exce
llen
t publi
c an
d p
rivat
e co
lleg
es a
nd u
niv
ersi
ties
. P
artn
ersh
ips
wit
h t
he
court
and t
hes
e
educa
tional
inst
ituti
ons
can b
e a
cost
-eff
ecti
ve
use
of
pre
sentl
y-a
vai
lable
res
ourc
es t
o i
mpro
ve
serv
ices
wit
h m
inim
al f
isca
l im
pac
t.
28
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Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•M
on
ito
rs.
•V
isit
ors
.•
An
ad
min
istr
ato
r.•
Ad
min
istr
ativ
e su
pp
ort
.•
Tra
iner
.•
So
meo
ne
to c
oo
rdin
ate
and
su
per
vis
e m
on
ito
rs, s
tud
ent
inte
rns,
an
d v
olu
nte
ers.
•S
tud
ent
inte
rns
and
vo
lun
teer
s.•
Sta
ff w
ith
kn
ow
led
ge
of
com
mu
nit
y r
eso
urc
es, i
ncl
ud
ing
pri
vat
e an
d n
ot-
for-
pro
fit
gro
up
s as
wel
l as
go
ver
nm
enta
l ag
enci
es.
•P
erso
ns
wit
h s
oci
al w
ork
bac
kg
rou
nd
s.
Tra
inin
g o
n v
olu
nte
er m
anag
emen
t; a
ccep
tab
le q
uau
lity
of
care
; re
cog
niz
ing
ab
use
an
d n
egle
ct;
reso
urc
es a
nd
fac
iali
ties
avai
lab
le i
n t
he
com
mu
nit
y;
the
cou
rts
sett
ing
, en
vir
on
men
t, a
nd
pro
ced
ure
s; a
nd
co
mm
un
icat
ing
wit
h e
lder
s an
d p
erso
ns
wit
h c
og
nit
ive
imp
airm
ents
.
29
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3.
RE
PO
RT
ING
ON
TH
E P
RO
TE
CT
ION
OF
TH
E W
AR
D’S
AS
SE
TS
Th
e ex
ten
t o
f th
e fi
nan
cial
ser
vic
e o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g v
arie
s d
epen
din
g o
n t
he
nee
ds
and
cir
cum
stan
ces
of
the
ind
i-v
idu
al w
ard
. T
hes
e v
aria
ble
s af
fect
no
t o
nly
th
e le
vel
of
fin
anci
al r
evie
w a
nd
au
dit
, b
ut
also
th
e fr
equ
ency
. T
his
mo
nit
ori
ng
fun
ctio
n r
ang
es f
rom
a b
rief
rev
iew
of
the
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts,
to
an
au
dit
up
on
rec
eip
t o
f a
com
pla
int,
to
ran
do
m d
etai
led
fin
an-
cial
rev
iew
s an
d a
ud
its,
to
rev
iew
s o
f h
ow
ass
ets
are
inv
este
d a
nd
man
aged
, to
ro
uti
ne
sch
edu
led
fin
anci
al r
evie
ws
and
au
dit
s.T
his
mo
nit
ori
ng
fu
nct
ion
all
ow
s th
e co
urt
to
det
ect
and
in
ves
tig
ate
var
ian
ces
in t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets.
Wel
l-d
efin
ed f
inan
cial
au
dit
s, p
urs
uan
t to
nat
ion
ally
-rec
og
niz
ed a
ud
itin
g s
tan
dar
ds,
sh
ou
ld b
e co
nd
uct
ed i
n e
ver
y g
uar
dia
n-
ship
cas
e, w
ith
dif
fere
nt
lev
els
of
aud
it r
evie
w a
s ap
pro
pri
ate.
Fin
anci
al a
ud
itin
g b
egin
s w
ith
a r
ou
tin
e au
dit
on
ev
ery
fil
ing
.T
his
sh
ou
ld b
e su
pp
lem
ente
d b
y a
gra
du
atin
g r
ang
e o
f st
epp
ed-u
p a
ud
its,
wh
en a
pro
ble
m i
s in
dic
ated
. F
urt
her
mo
re,
tosu
ffic
ien
tly
pro
tect
war
ds
and
th
eir
asse
ts,
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es s
ho
uld
be
aud
ited
bas
ed o
n a
sta
tist
ical
ran
do
m s
amp
lin
g.
Def
init
ion
s o
f fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s sh
ou
ld b
e d
evel
op
ed a
nd
au
dit
ing
sta
nd
ard
s sh
ou
ld b
e ad
op
ted
. T
rain
ing
, ex
per
ien
ce,
and
bac
kg
rou
nd
of
aud
ito
rs i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
sh
ou
ld a
lso
be
def
ined
, as
ther
e ar
e cu
rren
tly
no
req
uir
emen
ts i
n t
his
reg
ard
.
It i
s in
stru
ctiv
e to
lo
ok
at
the
thre
e-le
vel
au
dit
pro
gra
m i
n t
he
Sev
ente
enth
Cir
cuit
th
at a
pp
lies
sp
ecia
lize
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
c-co
un
tin
g s
oft
war
e an
d s
tan
dar
diz
ed f
orm
s. T
his
fin
anci
al a
ud
itin
g p
rog
ram
, wh
ich
co
uld
be
con
sid
ered
a m
od
el, u
tili
zes
the
foll
ow
ing
lev
els
of
rev
iew
:
•L
evel
On
e: a
ud
it a
ll a
nn
ual
acc
ou
nti
ng
s w
ith
a f
ive-
step
au
dit
pro
cess
.•
Lev
el T
wo
: per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
all
rep
ort
s th
at a
re f
ou
nd
to
be
in c
om
pli
ance
at
Lev
el O
ne,
uti
lizi
ng
a L
evel
Tw
o c
hec
kli
st.
•L
evel
Th
ree:
per
form
sta
tist
ical
sam
pli
ng
of
com
pla
int
rep
ort
s fr
om
Lev
el T
wo
. D
etai
led
in
-ho
use
an
dfi
eld
au
dit
s o
f su
pp
ort
ing
do
cum
enta
tio
n w
ill
be
per
form
ed o
n t
he
sele
cted
sam
ple
.
Init
ial r
ou
tin
e fi
nan
cial
au
dit
s ar
e st
atu
tori
ly r
equ
ired
to
be
con
du
cted
by
sta
ff in
th
e o
ffic
e o
f th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt.
Mo
re in
-dep
thfi
nan
cial
au
dit
s, in
th
ose
cir
cuit
s w
her
e th
ey a
re r
egu
larl
y c
on
du
cted
, are
per
form
ed in
so
me
inst
ance
s b
y t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice
and
in o
ther
s b
y c
ou
rt s
taff
.
14Ju
dic
ial
Duti
es i
n G
ener
al.
The
judic
ial
duti
es o
f a
judge
take
pre
ceden
ce o
ver
all
the
judge’
s oth
er a
ctiv
itie
s.
The
judge’
s ju
dic
ial
duti
es i
ncl
ude
all
the
duti
es o
f th
e ju
dge’
s off
ice
pre
scri
bed
by l
aw. I
n t
he
per
form
ance
of
thes
e duti
es, th
e sp
ecif
ic s
tandar
ds
set
fort
h i
n t
he
foll
ow
ing s
ecti
ons
apply
.
Ca
no
n 3
.A.,
Co
de o
f Ju
dic
ial
Co
nd
uct.
30
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So
me
com
mit
tee
mem
ber
s an
d i
nd
ivid
ual
s w
ho
sp
ok
e at
th
e p
ub
lic
hea
rin
gs
wer
e o
f th
e o
pin
ion
th
at p
lace
men
t o
f th
e fi
nan
cial
aud
it f
un
ctio
n i
n t
he
cler
k’s
off
ice
ren
der
ed t
he
fun
ctio
n l
ess
effe
ctiv
e an
d t
hat
th
e re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
sh
ou
ld b
e tr
ansf
erre
d f
rom
th
ecl
erk
s to
th
e co
urt
s, w
hic
h w
ou
ld r
equ
ire
a st
atu
tory
ch
ang
e. T
hey
als
o n
ote
d t
hat
cle
rks
are
no
t g
iven
th
is le
vel
of
resp
on
sib
ilit
yfo
r an
y o
ther
cat
ego
ry o
f ca
ses.
Th
e co
urt
has
th
e u
ltim
ate
resp
on
sib
ilit
y f
or
mo
nit
ori
ng
th
e w
ard
’s w
ell b
ein
g; a
cco
rdin
gly
, th
eyb
elie
ve
Can
on
3A
of
the
Co
de
of
Jud
icia
l C
on
du
ct1
4 r
equ
ires
th
e re
spo
nsi
bil
ity
fo
r co
nd
uct
ing
fin
anci
al a
ud
its
to r
est
wit
h t
he
cou
rt.
A p
resu
med
ben
efit
of
tran
sfer
rin
g t
he
fin
anci
al a
ud
it f
un
ctio
n f
rom
th
e cl
erk
to
th
e co
urt
wo
uld
be
dec
reas
ing
th
e d
isp
ari-
ties
am
on
g c
ou
nti
es, i
ncr
easi
ng
eff
icie
nci
es, a
nd
pro
mo
tin
g a
sta
ble
pro
tect
ive
env
iro
nm
ent
for
the
war
d.
Ho
wev
er, o
ther
co
mm
itte
e m
emb
ers
and
sp
eak
ers
at t
he
pu
bli
c h
eari
ng
s w
ere
of
the
op
inio
n t
hat
if t
he
app
rop
riat
e au
dit
gu
ide-
lin
es a
re e
stab
lish
ed a
nd
fo
llo
wed
, th
e au
dit
s co
uld
be
adeq
uat
ely
co
nd
uct
ed b
y e
ith
er t
he
cou
rts
or
the
cler
ks.
In
so
me
cou
nti
es,
the
cler
k o
f co
urt
has
ass
um
ed t
he
resp
on
sib
ilit
y –
an
d i
nd
eed
tak
en t
he
init
iati
ve
– fo
r co
nd
uct
ing
hig
h q
ual
ity
an
d e
ffec
tiv
efi
nan
cial
au
dit
s. T
he
com
mit
tee
hea
rd a
bo
ut
aud
itin
g p
erfo
rmed
by
th
e cl
erk
s in
Ch
arlo
tte
and
Pas
co C
ou
nti
es, w
her
e th
e cl
erk
s’o
ffic
es s
eem
to
be
do
ing
an
ad
mir
able
job
of
aud
itin
g t
he
fin
anci
al r
epo
rts.
Acc
ord
ing
ly,
the
Co
mm
itte
e d
eter
min
ed t
he
aud
itin
g f
un
ctio
n c
ou
ld b
e ef
fect
ivel
y p
erfo
rmed
by
eit
her
th
e cl
erk
or
cou
rt,
ifp
erm
itte
d b
y s
tatu
te,
as l
on
g a
s d
efin
itio
ns
and
sta
nd
ard
s ar
e ad
op
ted
an
d a
ud
ito
r q
ual
ific
atio
ns
are
ado
pte
d.
If
th
e fu
nct
ion
rem
ain
s in
th
e cl
erk
’s o
ffic
e, t
he
com
mit
tee
reco
mm
end
s th
at i
t b
e o
rgan
ized
as
an i
nd
epen
den
t au
dit
un
it w
hic
h i
s re
qu
ired
to
req
ues
t a
hea
rin
g w
hen
a p
rob
lem
is id
enti
fied
. F
urt
her
, all
co
mm
un
icat
ion
bet
wee
n t
he
jud
ge
and
th
e cl
erk
’s o
ffic
e sh
ou
ld b
e in
wri
tin
g a
nd
bec
om
e p
art
of
the
off
icia
l co
urt
rec
ord
.
A g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
ass
ists
wit
h t
he
coo
rdin
atio
n a
nd
ov
ersi
gh
t fu
nct
ion
s o
f th
e p
resi
din
g j
ud
icia
l o
ffic
er t
oen
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
e re
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y r
epo
rt o
n t
he
wel
l-b
ein
g o
f th
ew
ard
’s a
sset
s, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
tak
e th
e fo
llo
win
g s
tep
s.
Au
dit
s an
d f
ield
in
ves
tig
atio
ns
are
con
du
cted
an
d a
wri
tten
rep
ort
is
pro
vid
ed t
o t
he
cou
rt o
n w
het
her
•T
he
init
ial
inv
ento
ry i
s co
mp
lete
an
d a
ccu
rate
.•
Th
e an
nu
al f
inan
cial
acc
ou
nti
ng
is
com
ple
te a
nd
acc
ura
te, i
ncl
ud
ing
- V
erif
icat
ion
fro
m t
he
dep
osi
tory
th
at r
epo
rted
bal
ance
s w
ere
accu
rate
.
- I
den
tifi
cati
on
of
any
qu
esti
on
able
ex
pes
es, s
uch
as
un
usu
al a
tto
rney
’s f
ees,
un
usu
al g
uar
dia
n’s
fee
s, c
hec
ks
p
ayab
le t
o “
cash
.”
•E
xp
end
itu
res
are
con
sist
ent
wit
h c
ou
rt o
rder
s.
•T
he
war
d’s
pro
per
ty i
s b
ein
g p
rop
erly
car
ed f
or
and
ap
pro
pri
ate
insu
ran
ce h
as b
een
sec
ure
d a
nd
is
up
to
dat
e.•
Inv
estm
ents
mad
e o
n b
ehal
f o
f th
e w
ard
are
ap
pro
pri
ate,
in
clu
din
g:
31
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-E
xce
ssiv
e tu
rno
ver
in
in
ves
tmen
ts.
-S
ale
of
pro
per
ty.
-
Sp
ecu
lati
ve
inv
estm
ents
.
•A
pp
lica
tio
n f
or
ever
y b
enef
it t
o w
hic
h a
war
d i
s en
titl
ed.
•B
on
din
g, s
ecu
rity
, an
d b
on
d p
rem
ium
pay
men
ts a
re s
atis
fact
ory
an
d c
urr
ent.
•C
on
firm
atio
n t
hat
th
e w
ard
is
rece
ivin
g t
he
app
rop
riat
e in
com
e an
d t
her
e is
no
div
ersi
on
of
the
inco
me.
•T
he
war
d’s
pro
per
ty a
nd
in
com
e ta
xes
hav
e b
een
pai
d.
•T
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
hav
e b
een
mar
shal
ed.
•T
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
hav
e b
een
rev
iew
ed a
nd
bal
ance
d i
n k
eep
ing
wit
h F
DIC
an
d S
EC
lim
its.
•C
urr
ent
add
ress
in
form
atio
n i
s p
rov
ided
to
th
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt.
To
be
able
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er t
he
war
d’s
ass
ets
are
bei
ng
ad
equ
atel
y p
rote
cted
, wh
eth
er a
pp
lica
tio
n h
as b
een
mad
e fo
r al
lth
e b
enef
its
to w
hic
h t
he
war
d i
s en
titl
ed,
and
th
e w
ard
’s a
sset
s ar
e b
ein
g u
sed
to
th
e w
ard
’s b
enef
its,
th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
es o
fre
sou
rces
sh
ou
ld b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Po
lici
es
an
d p
roce
du
res
for
staff
•U
nif
orm
def
init
ion
s o
f v
ario
us
typ
es/
lev
els
of
aud
its.
•G
uid
elin
es a
bo
ut
app
rop
riat
e ex
pen
dit
ure
s.•
Gu
idel
ines
ab
ou
t an
nu
al b
ud
get
ing
.
Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•P
erso
ns
wit
h b
oo
kk
eep
ing
sk
ills
.•
Per
son
s w
ith
fo
ren
sic
acco
un
tin
g s
kil
ls.
•C
erti
fied
pu
bli
c ac
cou
nta
nts
.•
Ind
ivid
ual
s w
ith
in
ves
tmen
t p
lan
nin
g e
xp
erie
nce
.•
Per
son
s w
ith
kn
ow
led
ge
abo
ut
pu
bli
c an
d p
riv
ate
ben
efit
pro
gra
ms
or
enti
tlem
ents
to
wh
ich
war
ds
may
be
enti
tled
.A
ccess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r•
po
ol
of
fin
anci
al m
anag
emen
t m
on
ito
rs (
for
larg
e as
set
case
s)•
adv
ice
fro
m a
fin
anci
al m
anag
er•
har
dw
are
and
so
ftw
are
for
a fi
nan
cial
au
dit
dat
abas
e•
off
ice
sup
pli
es, t
elep
ho
ne
serv
ice,
fac
sim
ile
serv
ice,
etc
.
Tra
inin
g o
n a
pp
rop
riate
in
vest
men
t p
att
ern
s fo
r d
iffe
ren
t ty
pes
of
ward
s
Bro
ker
s’ f
ees
- -C
on
sist
ent/
app
rop
riat
e w
ith
th
e ag
e o
f th
e w
ard
.
32
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4.
CA
SE
AD
MIN
IST
RA
TIO
N
Ch
apte
r 74
4, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, a
nd
th
e P
rob
ate
Ru
les
of
Co
urt
pro
vid
e a
nu
mb
er o
f ca
se r
epo
rtin
g a
nd
rec
ord
ing
req
uir
emen
ts a
sp
art
of
the
cou
rt o
ver
sig
ht
fun
ctio
n f
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Sin
ce g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
may
sta
y a
ctiv
e fo
r an
ex
ten
ded
per
iod
of
tim
e, t
he
case
-flo
w m
anag
emen
t an
d c
oo
rdin
atin
g f
un
ctio
ns
req
uir
e o
ng
oin
g a
tten
tio
n.
Wh
ile
case
man
agem
ent
is a
n in
dep
end
ent
com
po
nen
t o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g,
each
of
the
oth
er t
hre
e co
mp
on
ents
als
o r
equ
ires
cas
e m
anag
emen
t an
d a
dm
inis
trat
ive
sup
po
rt.
Gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
req
uir
es s
taff
an
d i
nfo
rmat
ion
sy
stem
su
pp
ort
to
rev
iew
, p
roce
ss,
and
mo
nit
or
the
var
iety
of
rep
ort
s re
qu
ired
by
ru
le a
nd
sta
tute
.
Jud
ges
, co
urt
man
ager
s, a
nd
pro
gra
m p
erso
nn
el c
an i
mp
rov
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
per
form
ance
by
ap
ply
ing
so
un
dm
anag
emen
t p
rin
cip
les
and
pra
ctic
es.
To
do
so
, th
ey m
ust
hav
e ti
mel
y a
cces
s to
rel
iab
le i
nfo
rmat
ion
ab
ou
t th
e o
per
atio
ns
of
the
pro
gra
m.
Su
ch i
nfo
rmat
ion
co
uld
be
ob
tain
ed f
rom
th
e re
cord
s m
anag
emen
t sy
stem
or
fro
m s
urv
eys
or
cust
om
er s
atis
fact
ion
rep
ort
s ad
dre
ssin
g t
he
qu
alit
ativ
e as
pec
ts o
f th
e se
rvic
es a
nd
act
ivit
ies.
Th
is i
nfo
rmat
ion
can
be
use
d t
o m
on
ito
r an
d m
easu
re t
he
pro
gra
m e
ffec
tiv
enes
s an
d a
ssis
t in
def
inin
g t
he
exte
nt
to w
hic
h t
he
pro
gra
m is
ach
iev
ing
its
pu
rpo
se.
Th
e in
form
atio
n c
an a
lso
be
use
d t
o d
eter
min
e if
th
e p
rog
ram
is
op
erat
ing
eff
icie
ntl
y a
nd
to
pro
vid
e w
ork
load
dat
a to
id
enti
fy r
eso
urc
e n
eed
s.
Rel
iab
lep
erfo
rman
ce i
nfo
rmat
ion
can
als
o b
e u
sed
to
pro
vid
e ex
tern
al a
cco
un
tab
ilit
y,
by
des
crib
ing
in
a m
ean
ing
ful
fash
ion
th
e w
ork
of
cou
rt p
rog
ram
s an
d t
he
serv
ices
th
ey p
rov
ide.
Eac
h o
f th
e co
mp
on
ents
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
req
uir
es d
ata
rela
tiv
e to
th
e sp
ecif
ic s
erv
ices
pro
vid
ed.
All
th
e co
mp
on
ents
inte
rrel
ate
as w
ell
to t
he
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
e fl
ow
of
the
cou
rt.
A r
elat
ion
al a
uto
mat
ed c
ase
man
agem
ent
syst
em p
rov
ides
th
efr
amew
ork
to
rec
ord
in
form
atio
n a
bo
ut
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es, t
he
war
ds,
an
d t
he
gu
ard
ian
s. T
his
in
form
atio
n d
atab
ase
can
be
use
dto
mee
t th
e o
per
atio
nal
an
d m
anag
emen
t n
eed
s o
f th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
as
wel
l as
pro
vid
ing
th
e n
eces
sary
man
-ag
emen
t, p
lan
nin
g a
nd
bu
dg
etin
g i
nfo
rmat
ion
. A
nu
mb
er o
f te
chn
olo
gic
al i
nn
ov
atio
ns
are
un
der
dev
elo
pm
ent
in t
he
gu
ard
ian
-sh
ip d
om
ain
, as
des
crib
ed b
elo
w a
nd
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
is r
epo
rt, a
nd
sh
ou
ld b
e en
cou
rag
ed a
s a
mec
han
ism
fo
r im
pro
vin
g t
he
qu
alit
yo
f in
form
atio
n t
hat
is
avai
lab
le t
o c
ou
rt m
anag
ers
and
dec
isio
n m
aker
s.
Th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee
of
the
Rea
l Pro
per
ty, P
rob
ate,
an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar s
tud
ied
th
e co
nce
pt
of
elec
tro
nic
co
urt
fil
ing
in
th
e p
rob
ate
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
pra
ctic
e ar
ea.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
issu
ed a
Wh
ite
Pap
er i
n t
he
fall
of
2002
ou
tlin
ing
a p
rop
osa
l th
at c
on
tem
pla
tes
a li
mit
ed e
lect
ron
ic f
ilin
g s
yst
em t
hat
co
uld
lat
er b
e p
rog
ress
ivel
y e
xp
and
ed t
o i
ncl
ud
e al
ld
ivis
ion
s o
f th
e tr
ial c
ou
rt s
yst
em.
Pro
per
ly im
ple
men
ted
, ele
ctro
nic
fil
ing
wo
uld
all
ow
eas
ier
acce
ss t
o f
iled
do
cum
ents
, sim
pli
fyth
e cl
erk
of
cou
rt’s
han
dli
ng
pro
ced
ure
s, r
edu
ce d
ata
cap
ture
an
d s
tora
ge
cost
s, i
mp
rov
e d
isas
ter
reco
ver
y f
acil
itie
s, a
nd
red
uce
cost
s an
d t
ime
for
atto
rney
s an
d o
ther
use
rs o
f th
e co
urt
sy
stem
. T
he
pro
po
sed
sy
stem
wo
uld
be
dev
elo
ped
th
rou
gh
a “
fili
ng
inte
rmed
iary
” w
ith
a l
egal
XM
L-c
apab
le s
erv
er.
Bec
ause
th
e sy
stem
wo
uld
be
bas
ed o
n o
pen
sta
nd
ard
s, a
ny
ven
do
r co
uld
ser
ve
as a
fil
ing
in
term
edia
ry.
Th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee
sug
ges
ts t
hat
pro
bat
e an
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip a
re u
niq
uel
y p
osi
tio
ned
to p
rov
ide
a p
roo
f o
f co
nce
pt
on
a m
anag
eab
le s
cale
, si
nce
th
ese
fili
ng
s g
ener
ally
co
nst
itu
te 5
to
10%
of
circ
uit
co
urt
cas
e fi
lin
gs.
Ad
dit
ion
ally
, th
e S
ecti
on
est
imat
es t
hat
up
to
95%
of
fili
ng
s in
th
e p
rob
ate
and
gu
ard
ian
ship
div
isio
n a
re c
om
pri
sed
of
app
rox
i-m
atel
y 4
00 f
orm
s, a
nd
fo
rms-
bas
ed d
ocu
men
ts a
re s
ign
ific
antl
y e
asie
r to
dea
l w
ith
in
an
XM
L e
nv
iro
nm
ent.
33
![Page 36: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
An
y p
rob
lem
s en
cou
nte
red
wit
h s
yst
em im
ple
men
tati
on
co
uld
be
add
ress
ed b
efo
re e
xp
ansi
on
. T
he
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Mo
nit
ori
ng
Co
mm
itte
e b
elie
ves
th
e E
lect
ron
ic C
ou
rt F
ilin
g C
om
mit
tee’
s p
rop
osa
l h
old
s si
gn
ific
ant
pro
mis
e fo
r im
pro
vin
g t
he
jud
icia
lad
min
istr
atio
n o
f g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e S
tate
wid
e O
ffic
e o
f P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
is
dev
elo
pin
g a
war
d m
anag
emen
t so
ftw
are
dat
abas
e, w
hic
h i
s d
esig
ned
to
cap
ture
gu
ard
ian
ship
dat
a in
sta
nd
ard
ized
man
ner
.
Th
e F
lori
da
Co
urt
Tec
hn
olo
gy
Co
mm
issi
on
is
char
ged
wit
h d
evel
op
ing
tec
hn
olo
gic
al s
tan
dar
ds
for
auto
mat
ed c
ou
rt s
yst
ems
in t
he
stat
e. T
he
Co
mm
issi
on
asp
ires
to
bri
ng
a c
oh
esiv
e, in
teg
rate
d a
pp
roac
h t
o t
he
use
of
tech
no
log
y in
th
e ju
dic
ial b
ran
ch f
or
coll
ecti
ng
, pro
cess
ing
, an
d s
har
ing
info
rmat
ion
in a
sta
nd
ard
ized
fo
rmat
. S
uch
sta
nd
ard
ized
au
tom
ated
co
urt
sy
stem
s w
ill n
ot
on
ly m
eet
the
dat
a n
eed
s o
f ju
dg
es,
the
pu
bli
c, ju
stic
e sy
stem
par
tner
s, a
nd
oth
ers
wh
o n
eed
to
acc
ess
cou
rt i
nfo
rmat
ion
, b
ut
also
en
cou
rag
e in
no
vat
ive
cost
-eff
ecti
ve
pro
ject
s th
at c
an b
e u
sed
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
e ju
dic
ial
bra
nch
. J
oin
t ap
pli
cati
on
dev
elo
p-
men
t (J
AD
) se
ssio
ns
wer
e h
eld
to
ass
ess
the
dat
a n
eed
s o
f th
e tr
ial
cou
rts
in t
he
var
iou
s to
pic
al a
reas
, in
clu
din
g t
he
pro
bat
e,g
uar
dia
nsh
ip, a
nd
men
tal
hea
lth
div
isio
n.
Bas
ed o
n t
he
ou
tco
me
of
the
JAD
ses
sio
ns,
tec
hn
olo
gy
sta
nd
ard
s w
ere
dev
elo
ped
and
ad
op
ted
in
th
e fa
ll o
f 20
02.
Th
e in
form
atio
n c
urr
entl
y a
vai
lab
le, a
s w
ell a
s th
e en
han
ced
dat
a th
at c
ou
ld b
e p
rov
ided
thro
ug
h im
pro
ved
tech
no
log
y, s
ho
uld
be
uti
lize
d b
y t
he
cou
rt t
o o
ver
see
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
on
ito
rin
g p
rog
ram
alo
ng
wit
h t
he
cler
k o
f co
urt
’so
ffic
e as
sist
s w
ith
th
e co
ord
inat
ion
an
d o
ver
sig
ht
fun
ctio
ns
of
the
pre
sid
ing
ju
dic
ial
off
icer
to
en
sure
co
mp
lian
ce w
ith
th
ere
qu
irem
ents
of
the
rule
s an
d s
tatu
tes.
To
eff
ecti
vel
y a
nd
eff
icie
ntl
y a
dm
inis
ter
the
case
of
the
war
d, a
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
or-
ing
pro
gra
m s
ho
uld
tak
e th
e fo
llo
win
g s
tep
s:
Rev
iew
case
fil
es
an
d e
nte
r d
ata
in
co
nfo
rmit
y w
ith
th
e c
om
pre
hen
siv
e g
uard
ian
ship
data
req
uir
em
en
ts c
on
tain
ed
in
th
e p
rob
ate
, Gu
ard
ian
ship
an
d M
en
tal/
Med
ical
Healt
h F
un
ctio
nal
Req
uir
em
en
ts D
ocu
men
t, V
ers
ion
1.3
, Ja
nu
ary
28, 2003, S
up
rem
e C
ou
rt o
f F
lori
da, O
ffic
e o
f th
e S
tate
Co
urt
s A
dm
inis
trato
r, T
rial
Co
urt
s N
eed
s
Ass
essm
ent
Pro
ject
.
Co
nd
uct
fo
llo
w-u
p o
n r
ep
ort
s th
at
are
no
t
•T
imel
y f
iled
.•
Co
mp
lete
d.
•A
pp
rov
ed b
y t
he
cou
rt.
Pre
pare
ord
ers
to
sh
ow
cau
se f
or
the c
ou
rt’s
co
nsi
dera
tio
n.
Sch
ed
ule
heari
ng
s, w
hen
ap
pro
pri
ate
an
d a
t th
e c
ou
rt’s
dir
ect
ion
.
34
![Page 37: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Main
tain
a c
ase
in
ven
tory
an
d n
oti
fy t
he c
ou
rt o
f o
ld c
ase
s.
Rep
ort
to
th
e c
ou
rt o
n w
heth
er
•C
ou
rt o
rder
s ap
pro
vin
g r
epo
rts
hav
e b
een
en
tere
d.
•T
he
war
d’s
dri
ver
’s l
icen
se h
as b
een
rev
ok
ed, i
f re
qu
ired
.•
An
y o
ther
lo
cal
pro
vis
ion
s an
d a
dm
inis
trat
ive
ord
ers
hav
e b
een
co
mp
lied
wit
h.
In o
rder
to
det
erm
ine
wh
eth
er r
epo
rts
and
do
cum
ents
hav
e b
een
fil
ed t
imel
y a
nd
are
co
mp
lete
, an
d o
ther
pro
ced
ura
lre
qu
irem
ents
hav
e b
een
fo
llo
wed
, th
e fo
llo
win
g t
yp
es o
f re
sou
rces
mu
st b
e av
aila
ble
to
th
e co
urt
:
Acc
ess
to
an
d/o
r fu
nd
ing
fo
r
•C
ou
rt d
ock
ets.
•H
ard
war
e an
d s
oft
war
e fo
r a
case
tra
ckin
g a
nd
mo
nit
ori
ng
sy
stem
or
wel
l-d
evel
op
ed
p
roto
cols
an
d c
hec
kli
sts.
•O
ffic
e su
pp
lies
, tel
eph
on
e se
rvic
e, f
acsi
mil
e se
rvic
e, e
tc.
Sta
ffin
g r
equ
irem
ents
•In
form
atio
n s
yst
ems
staf
f an
d/
or
dat
abas
e ad
min
istr
ato
r.•
Sk
ille
d, d
edic
ated
pro
bat
e cl
erk
.
Tra
inin
g f
or
pro
bate
cle
rk.
It i
s cl
ear
that
co
mp
ute
riza
tio
n o
f m
uch
of
thes
e p
roce
sses
, an
d t
he
use
of
rela
tio
nal
dat
abas
es, w
ou
ld s
ign
ific
antl
y r
edu
ceth
e le
vel
of
man
po
wer
nec
essa
ry t
o e
ffec
tiv
ely
pro
vid
e th
e g
uar
dia
nsh
ip o
ver
sig
ht
serv
ice
req
uir
ed b
y t
he
Leg
isla
ture
an
dre
sult
in
a c
on
com
itan
t re
du
ctio
n i
n c
ost
per
cas
e.
35
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MIN
OR
GU
AR
DIA
NS
HIP
S
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
agre
ed t
o r
eco
mm
end
th
at t
he
Leg
isla
ture
in
crea
se t
he
thre
sho
ld d
oll
ar a
mo
un
t fo
r m
ino
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ips.
Pri
or
to t
he
com
ple
tio
n o
f th
e C
om
mit
tee’
s w
ork
, th
e L
egis
latu
re a
cted
du
rin
g t
he
2002
ses
sio
n b
y i
ncr
easi
ng
th
e am
ou
nt
to$1
5,00
0 (s
ee s
ecti
on
744
.387
, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
com
men
ds
the
Leg
isla
ture
fo
r in
crea
sin
g t
he
juri
sdic
tio
nal
amo
un
t in
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s b
ecau
se t
hat
wil
l al
low
lim
ited
jud
icia
l re
sou
rces
to
be
focu
sed
on
th
e m
ore
co
mp
lex
gu
ard
-ia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
the
foll
ow
ing
ad
dit
ion
al c
han
ges
reg
ard
ing
min
or
gu
ard
ian
ship
s:
•R
equ
ire
secu
re c
ust
od
ial
ban
k a
cco
un
ts, t
hat
can
no
t b
e ch
ang
ed, u
nd
er t
he
Un
ifo
rm T
ran
sfer
to
Min
ors
Act
, fo
r su
ms
un
der
th
e am
ou
nt
allo
wed
by
sta
tute
. In
an
y u
nd
erly
ing
gu
ard
ian
ship
set
tlem
ent,
jud
ges
sh
ou
ld r
equ
ire
a re
ceip
t fo
rth
e ac
cou
nt
to b
e fi
led
, or
the
fun
ds
cou
ld b
e co
mm
itte
d t
o t
he
pu
rch
ase
of
an I
nte
rnal
Rev
enu
e C
od
e S
ecti
on
529
Pla
no
r o
ther
ap
pro
pri
ate
pre
-pai
d c
oll
ege
tuit
ion
pla
n.
•A
llo
w s
imp
lifi
ed a
cco
un
tin
g f
or
ban
k, s
tock
, or
bro
ker
age
acco
un
ts i
f th
ere
are
no
wit
hd
raw
als
oth
er t
han
th
ose
au
tho
rize
d b
y c
ou
rt o
rder
.
Th
e p
rop
ose
d a
lter
nat
ive
to m
ino
r g
uar
dia
nsh
ip,
for
sum
s u
nd
er t
he
amo
un
t al
low
ed b
y s
tatu
te,
wo
uld
all
ow
th
e co
urt
to
rev
iew
th
e al
tern
ativ
e p
lace
men
t o
f th
e fu
nd
s in
a s
ecu
re a
cco
un
t su
ch a
s a
pre
pai
d c
oll
ege
fun
d o
r ap
pro
pri
ate
ann
uit
y.
36
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ED
UC
AT
ION
AN
D T
RA
ININ
GG
uard
ian
s
In a
cco
rdan
ce w
ith
th
e F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s, p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
s m
ust
co
mp
lete
a 4
0-h
ou
r tr
ain
ing
co
urs
e ap
pro
ved
by
th
e O
ffic
eo
f S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
(se
ctio
n 7
44.1
085,
Flo
rid
a S
tatu
tes)
. F
amil
y m
emb
ers
and
oth
er n
on
-pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
ns
mu
st c
om
ple
te a
n 8
-ho
ur
trai
nin
g c
ou
rse
app
rov
ed b
y t
he
chie
f ju
dg
e (s
ecti
on
744
.314
5, F
lori
da
Sta
tute
s).
Th
e S
tate
wid
e P
ub
lic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Off
ice;
the
Go
ver
nm
ent L
awy
ers
Sec
tio
n a
nd
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
; Ste
tso
nU
niv
ersi
ty S
cho
ol
of
Law
; an
d o
ther
s w
ork
ed t
o d
evel
op
a B
asic
Gu
ard
ian
ship
Tra
inin
g M
anu
al.
Fro
m t
his
bas
ic t
rain
ing
pro
-g
ram
, th
e m
inim
um
cu
rric
ulu
m c
on
ten
t fo
r th
e 40
-ho
ur
pro
fess
ion
al g
uar
dia
n c
ou
rses
was
dev
elo
ped
. I
nfo
rmat
ion
on
th
ese
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
s is
acc
essi
ble
on
th
e In
tern
et a
t h
ttp
://
ww
w.f
mh
i.u
sf.e
du
/g
uar
dia
n.
Th
e C
om
mit
tee
dis
cuss
ed t
he
nee
d t
o g
ear
trai
nin
g c
urr
icu
lla
to t
he
spec
ific
ty
pe
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
to
bet
ter
pre
par
e g
uar
dia
ns
for
han
dli
ng
th
eir
case
. T
he
com
mit
tee
enco
ura
ges
th
e R
eal
Pro
per
ty,
Pro
bat
e an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n,
the
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n,
the
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
, an
d t
he
Gen
eral
Mas
ters
Co
mm
itte
e o
f th
e F
amil
y L
aw S
ecti
on
o
f T
he
Flo
rid
a B
ar t
o d
evel
op
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
s an
d/
or
vid
eos
targ
etin
g s
pec
ific
ty
pes
of
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
es.
Th
is e
du
cati
on
an
d t
rain
ing
mig
ht
beg
in f
rom
the
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n.
Att
orn
eys
Th
e co
mm
itte
e d
iscu
ssed
th
e n
eed
to
dif
fere
nti
ate
bet
wee
n t
he
pra
ctic
e o
f la
w a
nd
so
cial
wo
rk w
hen
han
dli
ng
gu
ard
ian
ship
cas
esan
d n
ote
d t
hat
a g
oo
d g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
awy
er i
s n
ot
nec
essa
rily
tra
ined
as
a g
uar
dia
n.
Th
e co
mm
itte
e re
com
men
ds
the
foll
ow
ing
trai
nin
g r
equ
irem
ents
fo
r at
torn
eys
wh
o h
and
le g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
:
•T
he
Co
mm
itte
e ca
lls
up
on
Flo
rid
a la
w s
cho
ols
to
pla
ce m
ore
em
ph
asis
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
law
iss
ues
an
d i
ncl
ud
ecu
rric
ula
fo
cuse
d o
n e
lder
, dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
y, m
enta
l h
ealt
h, a
nd
su
bst
ance
ab
use
iss
ues
, fro
m t
he
ver
y b
eg
inn
ing
.•
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
’s p
rog
ram
fo
r n
ew a
tto
rney
s, P
ract
icin
g w
ith
Pro
fess
ion
alis
m, s
ho
uld
in
clu
de
a se
gm
ent
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
, eld
er, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, men
tal
hea
lth
, an
d s
ub
stan
ce a
bu
se i
ssu
es t
o i
ncr
ease
th
e aw
aren
ess
of
pra
ctic
e in
th
ese
area
s o
f th
e la
w, r
eco
gn
izin
g t
hat
in
div
idu
als
wit
h m
enta
l il
lnes
ses,
dev
elo
pm
enta
l d
isab
ilit
ies,
or
sub
stan
ce a
bu
se p
rob
lem
s m
ay r
equ
ire
the
stru
ctu
red
rel
atio
nsh
ip o
f a
gu
ard
ian
ship
.•
Th
e co
mm
itte
e en
cou
rag
es t
he
Rea
l P
rop
erty
, Pro
bat
e an
d T
rust
Law
Sec
tio
n, t
he
Go
ver
nm
ent
Law
yer
Sec
tio
n, t
he
Eld
er L
aw S
ecti
on
, an
d t
he
Gen
eral
Mas
ters
Co
mm
itte
e o
f th
e F
amil
y L
aw S
ecti
on
of
Th
e F
lori
da
Bar
to
dev
elo
p a
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r m
aste
rs a
nd
gu
ard
ian
ship
att
orn
eys.
•
Att
orn
eys
wh
o a
re i
nex
per
ien
ced
in
gu
ard
ian
ship
law
, su
ch a
s p
erso
nal
in
jury
att
orn
eys
and
oth
ers,
sh
ou
ld b
een
cou
rag
ed t
o t
ake
the
exis
tin
g 8
-ho
ur
cou
rse.
Fu
rth
er, a
tto
rney
s w
ho
ser
ve
as g
uar
dia
ns
sho
uld
no
t b
e al
low
ed t
oau
tom
atic
ally
wai
ve
the
8-h
ou
r ed
uca
tio
nal
req
uir
emen
t.
37
![Page 40: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Th
ese
chan
ges
co
uld
be
imp
lem
ente
d t
hro
ug
h a
sta
tuto
ry c
han
ge,
or
the
jud
ge
cou
ld e
nco
ura
ge
such
ed
uca
tio
n b
y a
llo
win
g a
hig
her
fee
aft
er t
he
no
n-c
erti
fied
att
orn
ey c
om
ple
tes
the
trai
nin
g.
Jud
ge
s
In s
om
e o
f th
e la
rger
urb
an c
ircu
its,
on
e o
r m
ore
jud
ges
are
ass
ign
ed t
o a
sep
arat
e P
rob
ate,
Gu
ard
ian
ship
, an
d M
enta
l H
ealt
hD
ivis
ion
. T
ho
se j
ud
ges
dev
elo
p k
no
wle
dg
e n
ot
on
ly a
bo
ut
the
app
lica
ble
law
s an
d p
roce
du
res
bu
t al
so t
he
pro
ble
ms
and
circ
um
stan
ces
that
oft
en f
ace
war
ds.
Ho
wev
er, i
n t
he
maj
ori
ty o
f th
e tr
ial
cou
rts,
gu
ard
ian
ship
mat
ters
are
han
dle
d b
y ju
dg
esas
sig
ned
to
th
e g
ener
al C
ivil
Div
isio
n.
Du
e to
th
e d
iver
sity
of
mat
ters
bef
ore
th
em, t
ho
se ju
dg
es d
o n
ot
hav
e th
e sa
me
op
po
r-tu
nit
y t
o d
evel
op
ex
per
tise
on
th
e is
sues
th
at f
req
uen
tly
ari
se i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip c
ases
.
•A
dd
itio
nal
tra
inin
g o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
aw i
ssu
es,
incl
ud
ing
cu
rric
ula
fo
cuse
d o
n e
lder
, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
abil
ity
, an
d m
enta
l h
ealt
h m
atte
rs, s
ho
uld
be
avai
lab
le t
o a
ll ju
dg
es t
hro
ug
h t
he
Flo
rid
a C
on
fere
nce
of
Cir
cuit
Co
urt
Ju
dg
es.
Th
ese
top
ics
are
amo
ng
th
ose
iden
tifi
ed b
y t
he
Flo
rid
a C
ou
rt E
du
cati
on
Co
un
cil a
s “c
riti
cal t
rain
ing
are
as.”
Ju
dic
ial e
du
cati
on
on
th
ese
issu
es s
ho
uld
als
o b
e in
clu
ded
in
th
e g
ener
al c
ivil
tra
cks,
sin
ce m
ost
cir
cuit
s d
o n
ot
hav
e ju
dg
es w
ho
hea
rp
rob
ate
case
s ex
clu
siv
ely
.•
Th
e S
up
rem
e C
ou
rt s
ho
uld
en
cou
rag
e ju
dg
es t
o r
evie
w t
he
curr
icu
lum
or
par
tici
pat
e in
sel
ecte
d s
ecti
on
s o
f th
e 40
-h
ou
r p
rofe
ssio
nal
gu
ard
ian
trai
nin
g, a
s p
rom
ulg
ated
by
the
Off
ice
of
Sta
tew
ide
Pu
bli
c G
uar
dia
nsh
ip, p
rio
r to
the
jud
ge’
sas
sig
nm
ent
to t
he
pro
bat
e d
ivis
ion
.
Pro
ba
te C
lerk
s a
nd
Co
urt
Sta
ff
Ap
pro
pri
ate,
sp
ecia
lize
d t
rain
ing
fo
r al
l co
urt
sta
ff i
nv
olv
ed i
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip m
atte
rs w
ou
ld b
e b
enef
icia
l.
Acc
ord
ing
ly,
the
Co
mm
itte
e o
ffer
s th
e fo
llo
win
g r
eco
mm
end
atio
ns:
•T
he
Flo
rid
a A
sso
ciat
ion
of
Co
urt
Cle
rks
sho
uld
dev
elo
p a
co
mp
reh
ensi
ve
trai
nin
g p
rog
ram
fo
r p
rob
ate
cler
ks
on
gu
ard
ian
ship
iss
ues
.•
Th
e F
lori
da
Co
urt
Ed
uca
tio
n C
ou
nci
l sh
ou
ld o
ffer
tra
inin
g o
n g
uar
dia
nsh
ip l
aw,
as w
ell
as e
lder
, d
evel
op
men
tal
dis
-a
bil
itie
s, a
nd
men
tal
hea
lth
iss
ues
, fo
r co
urt
sta
ff w
ith
res
po
nsi
bil
itie
s re
lati
ng
to
gu
ard
ian
ship
mo
nit
ori
ng
.
38
![Page 41: Guardianship monitoring in Florida - Florida Courts · INTRODUCTION A guardian is a surrogate decision-maker appointed by the court to make either personal and/or financial decisions](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022043018/5f3a72fef8ca286b180c8a6b/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)