Guardian Associations and Advocacy Groups
National Guardianship Association
National Guardianship Association
The primary objectives of the NGA are:
- Establishing and promoting nationally recognized standards
- Encouraging the highest levels of integrity and competence though guardianship education.
- Protecting the interests of guardians and people in their care.
- DAIL is a member of the NGA and also adopts and practices their National Guardianship Association Ethical Principles.
Kentucky Guardianship Association
Kentucky Guardianship Association
- The KGA is a non-profit membership organization with the goals of improving adult guardianship in Kentucky.
- They seek to improve guardianship by developing training for persons appointed to serve as guardian for an adult with a disability, training for persons seeking to be appointed as guardian, attorneys representing alleged incapacitated persons and professionals including social workers, psychologists, and medical personnel appointed to interdisciplinary evaluation teams; for the purpose of evaluating the capacity of adults responding to a petition for appointment of a guardian or conservator.
- The KGA was founded on the principle of improving the practice of adult guardianship in KY, by promoting practices that protect the Constitutional rights and autonomy of persons with disabilities.
- Some DAIL staff are members member of the KGA.
Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS)
Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS)
- This core group is dedicated to improving the process of guardianship in KY and safeguarding the rights of citizens.
- Educates the public about alternatives to guardianship and supported decision-making and include but not limited to the following: KY District Court, KGA, DAIL, Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, aging and disability networks, Protection and Advocacy, Adult Protective Services, legal, medical, and mental health providers, Long Term Care Ombudsman and more.
Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
- Kentucky Protection and Advocacy is a Division within the Department of Public Advocacy.
- P & A protects and promotes the rights of Kentuckians with disabilities through information and referral, and legal individual and systemic advocacy and education.
Mission:
To protect and promote the rights of Kentuckians with disabilities through legally based individual and systemic advocacy, and education.
Values:
- Kentuckians with disabilities have a right to self determination including, but not limited to, the right to refuse, the right to participate, and the right to choose.
- Kentuckians with disabilities have the same inherent rights as Kentuckians without disabilities.
- Kentuckians with disabilities will live and receive services in integrated and inclusive settings.
- Kentucky Protection and Advocacy values and accepts differences/diversity.
Source: dpa.ky.gov
State Long Term Care Ombudsman
State Long Term Care Ombudsman
The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, is funded federally by ACL and provides services via a service contract with DAIL. It includes the State LTCO, 15 District Ombudsmen thru the 15 ADDs/AAA’s and a host of volunteers.
Ombudsmen advocate for residents of long-term care facilities at no charge to residents or families.
Their primary responsibilities are:
- Protect the special legal rights of residents.
- Identify, investigate, and resolve residents’ problems and concerns.
- Empower residents to make informed choices.
- Work to enact laws to protect residents and older Kentuckians.