Please print and complete the "Referral Form" (go to Referral Form & Report webpage) when making a referral to the Office of the Public Guardian. Please note the following general information you may find helpful in making your referral.  (Some states consider the guardian a conservator or fiduciary agent and a guardianship a conservatorship.)

1. It is important to be aware when making a referral for guardianship that this is a serious legal process. Implementation of a guardianship denies the individual their civil rights. A person who uses bad judgment, or who lives in a lifestyle not acceptable to the community may not be incompetent. Guardianship is not used to impose compliance upon individuals who have an awareness of what they are doing and have the right to make bad decisions. A guardianship referral is not warranted unless you feel an individual is incapacitated and unable to manage their own financial resources and / or is unable to make informed medical decisions. We will require copies of recent medical records that indicate what conditions cause a proposed ward to be incompetent or incapacitated.  We will also require that the "Physician's Report of Incapacitation" be filled out by the prospective client's doctor.

1. Guardianship is not an immediate emergency intervention. If you have any suspicions of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, please report to one of the following agencies:

1. Family members or friends, if appropriate, have first priority to serve as guardian instead of the Public Guardian. We ask that you contact responsible family members and friends regarding the possibility of serving as Guardian before you contact us.

1. Please provide all requested documentation and any other information you feel may be pertinent to our investigation. A lack of information will delay action on the case.