Guardianship
Understanding Guardianship for Young Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities: Information for Families
As children with developmental or intellectual disabilities become adults, families often need to make important decisions about how to best support their loved one’s independence, safety, and well-being. One of these decisions may involve guardianship. Learning about the different types of guardianship and the evaluation process can help families make informed choices that respect the young adult’s rights and needs.
Guardianship
Understanding Guardianship for Young Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities: Information for Families
As children with developmental or intellectual disabilities become adults, families often need to make important decisions about how to best support their loved one’s independence, safety, and well-being. One of these decisions may involve guardianship. Learning about the different types of guardianship and the evaluation process can help families make informed choices that respect the young adult’s rights and needs.
Guardianship
Understanding Guardianship for Young Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities: Information for Families
As children with developmental or intellectual disabilities become adults, families often need to make important decisions about how to best support their loved one’s independence, safety, and well-being. One of these decisions may involve guardianship. Learning about the different types of guardianship and the evaluation process can help families make informed choices that respect the young adult’s rights and needs.
What is Guardianship?
Guardianship is a legal arrangement where a court appoints someone (the guardian) to make certain decisions for a person who cannot make those decisions on their own because of a disability or other challenges. Guardianship is meant to protect people who may not be able to fully manage their personal, medical, or financial affairs. There are several types of guardianship, and there are also alternatives, such as supported decision-making, which allows individuals to make their own choices with help from others. For more information, you can visit the Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts or The Arc.
The Guardianship Evaluation Process
Before a court grants guardianship, a thorough evaluation is required to understand the young adult’s abilities and needs. One important document in this process is the Clinical Team Report (CTR). The CTR is a detailed assessment prepared by a team of professionals to help the court decide if guardianship is needed, and if so, what kind and how much support is appropriate. The CTR must be signed by a physician, psychologist, and social worker.
Our practice provides the psychological part of the CTR. This involves a brief assessment with Dr. Travers and a short questionnaire for the parent or caregiver. Afterward, a report is completed, which the social worker can use to finish their part of the assessment.
To help make this process easier, Dr. Travers recommends Rachel Sletzinger, LICSW, Co-Founder of Infinite Routes, LLC, to complete the social worker section of the CTR. You can learn more about Ms. Sletzinger and Infinite Routes LLC here.
Guardianship Resources and Training
For more information and support about the guardianship process, parents and caregivers can explore these resources:
- Infinite Routes in Needham, MA offers both in-person and online trainings.
- MGH Lurie Center for Autism in Lexington, MA provides a series of online workshops to guide families through each step of the process.
