Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Florida: ABC Action News I-Team: Patricia Johnson fights more regulation for Florida's Guardianship Program

(Note:  This video is slow loading - but it's worth the wait!)
ABC Action News is staying on top of an effort to protect our state's most vulnerable citizens. State lawmakers are working to reform Florida's Guardianship Program. The measure comes after wards and their family members have reported numerous incidents of abuse and exploitation by professional guardians in court districts throughout the Sunshine State.

One opponent of the new bill was at the center of an I-Team investigation.

In 2013, Willi Berchau told the I-Team that his court-appointed guardian, Patricia Johnson, had wrongly placed him in an Alzheimer's unit. After our stories, doctors and a judge determined Berchau was not incapacitated and freed him from guardianship.

At that time, Johnson declined to speak on camera, and has refused to make any public comments about the issue until now. “I get monitored by everybody, every day, seven days a week,” Johnson testified before the Children, Family and Seniors Subcommittee of the Florida House of Representatives.

Johnson told legislators there's no need to reform the state's guardianship system.

Full Article, Source, and Video:
I-Team: Patricia Johnson fights more regulation for Florida's Guardianship Program

11 comments:

Yvonne said...

Patricia Johnson looks transparent! Well done, I'team!

Anonymous said...

She surely looked very nervous.

Terry said...

Adam Walser is the best!

Lydia said...

Thank God for the I-team's interest in Willi Berchau or he'd still be in that Alzheimer's unit.

Betty said...

Nothing happened because nothing was wrong Patricia Johnson? Who do you think you're fooling? Not us.

Finny said...

Are we supposed to think Patricia Johnson is a wonderful person despite what she did to Willi Berchau because she also handles indigent cases?

How many other Willi's is she guardian of?

Tina said...

Willi looked and acted more competent than his former guardian!

Way to go ABC!

Anonymous said...

Great job Adam Walser. Johnson is so full of BS those of us with eyes wide open can't see our screens. K.A.R.M.A. Patricia Johnson.

Sylvia Rudek said...

Patricia Johnson needs to refresh her memory and retract her statements based on misleading information in her statement to Mr. Walser regarding her reasons for declining to be interviewed. Willi Berchau is not a friend or family member of a ward. Mr. Berchau is a former ward of Patricia Johnson.

In 2013, Willi Berchau told the I-Team that his court-appointed guardian, Patricia Johnson, had wrongly placed him in an Alzheimer's unit.

".....Normally, I would be more than happy to sit down with you to discuss the guardianship program and the ways I have handled those in my care. But during the past two years, you have not demonstrated an interest in learning the truth. Instead, you have decided to listen exclusively to friends and family members who might not have the ward’s best interest at heart.

Sincerely, Patricia Johnson"

Anonymous said...

This is an abomination. She seems to be a wealthy older woman. Perhaps she’s in need of a court appointed guardian soon??? Rot in hell.

Anonymous said...

Great Job ABC I Team! Thank you for educating the Public, End Guardianship Oversight in the State of Florida!