Guardian Partners assists the court in protecting our most vulnerable through monitoring, training and supporting guardians, other fiduciaries and families. These efforts reduce the potential for abuse, neglect, and exploitation of protected persons.

Guardian Partners was established by Multnomah County Judge Katherine Tennyson and a volunteer group of elder law attorney, there was limited oversight of Guardianship cases in Oregon. The Circuit Court reports that 90% of Guardians required a reminder from court staff to file timely annual reports. Significantly, 10% of Guardianship cases did not have updated information, resulting in the Court not knowing where the protected person was or if they were safe.

Given inadequate court resources to provide the level of detailed review each individual under guardianship deserves, the Multnomah County Circuit Court and Chief Probate Judge Katherine Tennyson affirmed a compelling need for a solution to bridge the gaps and provide protection.

Guardian Partners’ goal is to not only identify and prevent abuse, but also to teach Guardians how to be effective in order to ensure those who are incapacitated are treated with the utmost care and respect. Ultimately, Guardian Partners was founded to serve as a quality improvement mechanism for the judicial, medical, and social services system of Oregon. By utilizing volunteers to provide independent oversight of these overlapping systems on behalf of the Court, we provide valuable information and early intervention in an effort to stem the growing tide of abuse of individuals under Guardianship.

http://www.guardian-partners.org/