Contact: Molly Justice
Director of Communications & Online Media
(757) 259-1564
Free online course helps caretakers understand guardianship, options for supported decision-making
Williamsburg, Va. (Dec. 19) -- The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has released an updated online course that explains options for assisting individuals who need decision-making support.
Finding the Right Fit: Decision-Making Supports and Guardianship is a free, self-paced course that summarizes legal options, provides real-world scenarios and outlines guardian responsibilities. The lessons are designed for individuals who are researching options for an aging parent or disabled friend or family member and guardians who want to learn more about their role.
An update from 2019, the new course offers an improved user experience and focuses on three main areas of decision-making: support for an individual to make decisions (including supported decision-making), legal options that delegate decision-making authority such as powers of attorney and guardianship and serving as a guardian. The modules - which can range from about 15 to 75 minutes in duration - also include a glossary, topical list of resources and links to outside tools and information.
Understanding the long-term implications of legal options that delegate decision-making authority such as powers of attorney and guardianship is critical when considering which path to pursue.
Developed by experts in the guardianship and elder exploitation fields, Finding the Right Fit takes a nuanced approach to decision-making. The course balances two sometimes competing values: protecting the rights of people to make their own decisions and respecting their needs and wants while addressing the risk of exploitation and harm that comes with all decision-making options.
Finding the Right Fit was made possible by the Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative and was developed in conjunction with the American Bar Association Committee on Law and Aging.
For more information or to register, visit NCSC’s Center for Elders and the Courts.