Every county in Ohio has its own probate court, and each court is responsible for more than 200 separate duties.
The
duties include handling wills, administration of estates and trusts,
adoptions, marriage licenses, name changes and appointment of guardians
for minors and incompetent adults.
Locally, the probate and
juvenile courts are divisions of the Common Pleas Court of Guernsey
County, and are led by Judge David Bennett.
The probate court
is the superior guardian of those placed in guardianships and is
responsible for monitoring guardians to make sure that they fulfill
their duties.
Guardianship is one of the more restrictive
protective services available under Ohio law and is only necessary when
individuals are unable to care for their basic needs, finances, or
medical issues and when a less-restrictive alternative is not feasible.
People
placed in guardianship are especially vulnerable, and there is a great
need for willing volunteers, family members, and attorneys to act on
their behalf. In many cases, every decision affecting those individuals
is in another person’s hands.
That is why it is so important for guardians to carry out their duties responsibly.
A
guardian holds a unique role with respect to the minor or incompetent
adult, and the guardian has an obligation to obtain an understanding of
the fundamentals of that relationship. Formalized training is one means
to gain that competency.
In June of 2015, the Ohio Supreme
Court enacted new rules of superintendence that required the local court
to establish new rules on guardianship. The most radical change was the
requirement that all guardians attend a guardianship training course.
The Guernsey County Probate Court worked throughout 2015 to establish
a Family Guardianship course, and in 2016 it was implemented.
As
a result, the probate court adopted Local Rule 66, which requires
family guardians to attend a shortened local version of the Supreme
Court of Ohio’s Guardianship Fundamentals Training Program.
This
program was developed in conjunction with the Guernsey County Board of
Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health and Recovery Board and Area
Agency on Aging Region 9.
The training sessions are offered four times per year at various
times with all of the sessions at the Guernsey County Board of
Developmental Disabilities building on Southgate Road in Byesville. All
family guardians must attend this program once during the year.
The
initial basic course titled “Responsibilities and Duties of Guardians”
will be offered for new guardians of family members and those who have
not yet completed the mandatory training. This training will be offered
twice during the year on the designated dates listed below.
In
addition, courses will be held with topics of interest to guardians,
which were created from suggestions and questionnaires that were
completed at the trainings over the past three years. Those who have
already completed the initial course may choose to attend one of the
alternate topic sessions to satisfy their annual training requirements.
This year’s training topics and scheduled dates and times are as follows:
‒ March 20 — Responsibilities and Duties of Guardians at 1 p.m.; Medicaid Eligibility and Information at 2 p.m.
‒ June 12 — Stress Management for Caregivers at 6 p.m.
‒ Aug. 12 — Stable Account/Payee Information and Estate Planning at 1 p.m.
‒ Oct. 17 — Responsibilities and Duties of Guardians at 10 a.m.; Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease Information at 11 a.m.
This
program assists the guardians in complying with the law, as well as
helping them learn about the different resources that may be available
to them for the benefit of their ward.
For more information
about the Guardianship Program, or the rights and responsibilities of
becoming a guardian, please contact the Guernsey County Probate Court at
740-432-9262. The Probate Court is located on the second floor of the
Guernsey County Courthouse, 801 E. Wheeling Ave. in Cambridge.
Full Article & Source:
Guardianship program protects vulnerable citizens
