Denton woman to receive health services after guardianship hearing

Margaret Danko, right, and her daughter Janis Danko giggle in their Denton home as they talk about Janis’ singing abilities.

A local resident with Down syndrome and a degenerative nerve disease may finally get the added care she needs, but it comes at a cost to her mother.

A Denton County probate court granted temporary guardianship of 44-year-old Janis Danko to Courtney Carey, the manager of Denton County MHMR’s Guardianship Program. Janis has several health problems including tardive dyskinesia, a nerve condition that diminishes control of the limbs.

She had lived with her 80-year-old mother, Margaret Danko, in their east Denton home, but now will reside in a local group home for people with disabilities. Carey said during her testimony that Danko will still be involved in Janis’ life, just not as the woman’s primary caregiver.

“We’ll take care of her, but we have to do it together,” Carey told Danko after the hearing.

In a July Denton Record-Chronicle story, Danko outlined her fight to get Janis into the Denton State Supported Living Center. The woman said Denton County MHMR hadn’t responded to multiple inquiries for help since February.

“MHMR has done nothing but argue and threaten,” Danko said in court on Thursday.

The agency, citing privacy laws, declined to comment for the July story. However, an employee refuted Danko’s claims in court.

MHMR employee Morgan Quinnelly said she and other employees met with Danko and Janis four times and had been involved with the family for the past seven months. On certain occasions, Danko got frustrated with the employees and told them to leave her house, Quinnelly said.

Virginia Hammerle, an attorney who was appointed by the court to represent Janis, noted that Danko has moved several times when she couldn’t get the services she wanted for Janis. Hammerle said Janis told her that she wanted to live in a group home with people her own age.

“Although I don’t believe Ms. Danko is intentionally acting against Janis’ best interests, I do believe the effect of her actions are not in Janis’ best interest,” Hammerle said.

Danko defended her decision to move and said her frustration stemmed from the convoluted process to get Janis into the State Supported Living Center.

“Yes, I’ve been a lot of places and you know what it was for? Janis,” she said.

MHMR officials said admission to the state living center requires approval from a probate judge and often is used as a last resort for people who can’t function in other settings. Byron Brown, the court investigator for the Danko’s guardianship case, said he believed Janis would do well in a less restrictive residential home.

Danko said she resisted giving any decision-making power over to MHMR, but Judge Bonnie Robison assured her that the agency would be under the court’s supervision.

“Everyone in this [court] room wants to help you and help Janis,” Robison said.

The court decision granted guardianship to the MHMR program for 60 days. A hearing has been set for September to appoint a permanent guardian. Danko’s neighbors said the woman has done well caring for her daughter, but realizes she has physical limitations because of her age.

“Whatever needs to take place should be a permanent solution, not a Band-Aid,” neighbor Caleb Lopez said. “I would start today, yesterday, six months ago when MHMR was first contacted.”

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Denton woman to receive health services after guardianship hearing