DeSantis launches probe of office overseeing guardians after death, resignation; advocates want action

Carol Berkowitz

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday his administration is “vigorously” investigating the state office overseeing professional guardians in the wake of its director’s sudden resignation, adding he may ask for legislation to fix the beleaguered system.

The Orlando Sentinel reported this month that a man died after professional guardian Rebecca Fierle of Orlando issued a “do not resuscitate” order against his wishes. A judge found Fierle had “abused her powers” by filing such orders for numerous incapacitated clients without permission from their families or the court. Fierle resigned from 95 Orange County cases during a July 11 hearing.

The next week, she resigned from additional cases in Seminole County during an emergency court hearing, but it was not immediately clear how many cases were involved because the hearing was closed to the public.

Carol Berkowitz, executive director of the Florida Office of Public and Professional Guardians, which oversees investigations and discipline of the more than 550 professional guardians in the state, abruptly resigned July 12, three days after the Okaloosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller produced an investigative report on Fierle. The state’s Department of Elder Affairs confirmed Berkowitz’s resignation Tuesday but has not said what led to her departure.

 “We were obviously concerned with some of the reports,” DeSantis said at an event at the Florida’s Turnpike headquarters in Ocoee. Richard Prudom, the secretary of Elder Affairs, “is pursuing it, and I told him to pursue it vigorously.”

He said he told all agencies to “take six months, you’ll figure out what’s going on, figure out what needs to be done,” adding the agency heads have been reporting back to him over the course of July.

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DeSantis launches probe of office overseeing guardians after death, resignation; advocates want action