WINGS

“Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders”

NASGA encourages all victim advocates to familiarize themselves with WINGS – currently 17 states strong, and growing!

Become directly involved and represent the voices of victims and families who have been silenced for too long.

All perspectives are needed for the best results.  Victims and families of unlawful and abusive guardianships and conservatorships have a unique perspective because we have lived guardianships gone wrong up close and personal.  We know what works and doesn’t.  Our voice is valuable to reform. Fill the empty chair at the policy-making table by becoming involved! 

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Please note, the information below comes from NAELA (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys)  website in its entirety.

NAELA did a great job of explaining WINGS – its history and its mission.

By combining the efforts of all court and community guardianship stakeholders into WINGS, states can better improve judicial processes, protect individual rights and meet needs, address insufficient funding and ensure guardian accountability and fiduciary standards.

The National Guardianship Network in 2013 selected four states to pilot Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS). These states were New York, Oregon, Texas, and Utah.

Funding for the WINGS project was generously provided by the State Justice Institute and the Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation Center on Law and Aging.

In 2015, the National Guardianship Network named an additional six WINGS states.  These jurisdictions are Washington, DC; Indiana; Minnesota; Mississippi, Washington; and Wisconsin. (The Wisconsin WINGS was launched independently by the state’s Chief Justice.) Funding for these WINGS was generously provided by the State Justice Institute, the Atlantic Philanthropies Designated Gift Fund, and two anonymous donors.

Additionally, three states independently have developed similar stakeholder groups – Ohio, Missouri, and West Virginia.

Washington DC

DC-WINGS final report – May 2016

The coordinator for the new DC-WINGS is:
Anne Meister
Probate Division, Superior Court

Indiana

Indiana WINGS final report – May 2016

Contact:
Becky Pryor
Indiana Adult Guardianship State Task Force

Minnesota

MN-WINGS final report – May 2016

The coordinators for the new MN-WINGS are:
Jeff Shorba
State Court Administrator
Minnesota Judicial Branch

Ben Ashley-Wurtman
Mental Health Association of Minnesota

Mississippi

MS-WINGS final report – May 2016

The coordinator for the new MS-WINGS is:
T’Shia Gordon
Administrative Office of Courts

New York

The New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, convened a WINGS Summit at White Plains in March, 2014, bringing together a broad-based group of about 60 stakeholders representing over 30 entities, including those who work with both Article 81 guardianships (general adult statute) and Article 17A (developmental disabilities) under the banner of “Setting the Agenda for Guardianship in New York: Fewer Resources, Greater Collaboration.” Based on responses to the survey, the Steering Committee assigned each summit participant to one of three workgroups: (1) pre-commencement guardianship issues; (2) models of guardianship; and (3) post-appointment guardianship issues. Each workgroup had two facilitators and a structured process for reaching recommendations. The NY-WINGS Summit built on an earlier 2011 statewide meeting on adult guardianship under Article 81 sponsored by the Cardozo School of Law.

The New York Summit resulted in formation of three ongoing workgroups:

  • Pre-Commencement Issues;
  • Models of Guardianship; and
  • Post-Appointment Issues.

Contact: Michele Gartner
Special Counsel for Surrogate and Fiduciary Matters
New York State Unified Court System

Oregon

OR-WINGS first met in Salem in August 2013, followed by bimonthly or quarterly meetings thereafter. WINGS membership includes representatives from 28 aging, disability, legal, judicial, and mental health agencies and organizations. OR-WINGS developed a charter that states an objective to maintain interdisciplinary representation from these organizations. OR-WINGS has developed these workgroups:

  • Training, Education & Supports for System Partners;
  • Support Services for Family, Lay & Prospective Guardians; and
  • Protected Person Advocacy and System Access.

OR-WINGS also has participated in legislative advocacy, including support for a successful bill to establish a statewide public guardianship program; and a successful bill concerning volunteer visitor programs.

Oregon WINGS Accomplishments

  • Oregon WINGS produced a brochure entitled “Guardianship in Oregon: Explained in Brief for Medical and Other Care Professionals.”
  • Oregon WINGS produced a booklet for families entitled Options in Oregon to Help Another Person Make Decisions: Guardianship, Conservatorship and Other Options in Oregon.
  • Oregon WINGS is completing a person-centered planning tool for guardians.
  • Oregon WINGS expanded key materials on an existing aging and disability site to create a consumer friendly web page on the Aging and Disability Resource Connection site that collects in one place all resources concerning decision-making options.
  • Oregon WINGS was profiled nationally at the 2014 conference of the National Adult Protective Services Association; and at the Spring 2015 conference of the National College of Probate Judges.

Contact: Fred Steele
Legal Services Developer
State Unit on Aging
Oregon Department of Human Services

Texas

The Texas Office of Court Administration convened the first meeting of TX-WINGS in November 2013 in Austin. The meeting opened with a presentation of the results of a statewide survey on adult guardianship issues, completed by close to 300 participants. Top issues considered at the meeting included support for lay guardians, alternatives to guardianship, public guardianship, and capacity assessment. WINGS  reports to the Texas Supreme Court’s Elder Law Task Force, and will continue to meet regularly.

TX-WINGS held its second meeting in June 2014; and has created three ongoing workgroups:

  • Alternatives to guardianship (including supported decision-making);
  • Support for lay guardians; and
  • Person-centered assessments.

TX-WINGS conducted a study of guardianship files and practices in 14 counties without a statutory probate court and from which fewer than 100 guardianship cases were filed in FY 2013. See Texas Guardianship Cases: Improving Court Processes and Monitoring Practices in Texas Courts.

Members of TX-WINGS have participated in key legislative advocacy.

Contact: David Slayton
Administrative Director
Texas Office of Court Administration

Scott Griffith, JD/MPA 
Director of Research and Court Services
Office of Court Administration

Amanda Stites
Research Specialist
Texas Office of Court Administration

Utah

Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS) is a multi-disciplinary problem solving body that relies on court-community partnerships to:

  • Oversee guardianship practice;
  • Address key policy issues;
  • Improve the current system of guardianship and less restrictive alternatives;
  • Engage in outreach, education;
  • Enhance the quality of care and quality of life of vulnerable adults.

In April 2013 the Utah Administrative Office of the Courts convened a large working steering committee that meets bimonthly. Agendas are posted online here.
Current WINGS Steering Committee:

  1. Carol Fletcher, Licensed caregiver, private guardian, volunteer visitor
  2. Daniel Musto, Director, Long-term Care Ombudsman
  3. David Connors, Judge, Second District Court, WINGS Chair
  4. Ellen Silver, Director, Jewish Family Services
  5. James Brady, Judge, Fourth District Court
  6. James Toledo, Program Manager, Utah Division of Indian Affairs
  7. Joseph Taylor, Crisis Intervention Team, Utah State Coordinator, SLCPD
  8. Lisa Thornton, Private attorney, activist
  9. Kent Alderman, Elder law attorney
  10. Nan Mendenhall, Director, Adult Protective Services
  11. Nels Holmgren, Director, Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services
  12. Patricia Vigo, Latino Liaison, Utah Parent Center
  13. Robert Denton, Managing Attorney, Disability Law Center
  14. Shannon Alvey, Director, Office of Public Guardian
  15. Wendy Fayles, Criminal Justice Mentor, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Court Staff:

  1. Karolina Abuzyarova, WINGS and Court Visitor Program Coordinator
  2. Nancy Sylvester, Staff Attorney, Administrative Office of the Courts
  3. Holly Kees, Court Visitor Volunteer Coordinator
  4. Julie Rigby, Team Manager, Third District Court

Utah WINGS accomplishments are:

  1. WINGS formed in April 2013 – groundbreaking initiative with funding from the National Guardianship Network with only three other states (OR, NY, TX, UT).
  2. Held statewide guardianship summit in November 2013.
  3. Published three papers from the summit in the 2014 Utah Bar Journal:
    • “Improving Service Delivery to Protected Persons and Their Guardians”
    • “The Challenge of Submitting Competent Medical Evidence of Incapacity in Guardianship Proceedings”
    •  “Person-Centered Planning and Supported Decision-Making.”
  4. Published guardianship webpages here.
  5. Created active WINGS listserv, February 2014.
  6. Formed Executive Committee, February 2014.
  7. International profiling of the Utah guardianship monitoring program at the Third World Congress on Adult Guardianship in Virginia, May 2014.
  8. Adopted organizational bylaws, August 2015.
  9. Started collaboration with Social Security Administration and Veteran’s Administration.
  10. Established Guardianship Signature Program that provides free and low-cost legal representation to vulnerable adults in guardianship proceedings.
  11. Featured panel consisting of Utah WINGS leaders at the 13th Rocky Mountain Geriatrics Conference, September 2015.
  12. Organized three public classes for guardians and caregivers on alternatives to guardianship, guardianship procedures, and community resources in fall 2015.
  13. Interviewed on KUED, Channel 7 on the guardianship monitoring program in December 2015.

Activities in progress:

  1. Create an online training program for the public on guardianship resources.
  2. Reach out to the minorities, disseminate information and build partnerships.
  3. Translate guardianship web pages into Spanish.
  4. Organize live public classes on guardianship in Spanish.

WINGS brings together professionals in the fields of law, social work, medicine, aging services, Veterans Administration, Social Security Administration, non-profit agencies, private guardians, healthcare associations, AARP, Alzheimer’s Association and others. Connections are established between agencies that sometimes served the same population but did not communicate with each other or provide referrals. WINGS widens the understanding of gaps in the area of guardianship and beyond, and offers a platform for a dialogue, coordination and face to face learning opportunities. Large bureaucratic structures started sharing information, and that, hopefully, will make the life of vulnerable adults and their caregivers and guardians easier.
Contact: Hon. David Connors

WINGS chair
Second District Court

Karolina Abuzyarova
801-578-3925
WINGS and Court Visitor Program Administrator
Utah State Courts

Washington

Washington WINGS final report – May 2016

Contact:
Shirley Bondon
Administrative Office of the Courts

Wisconsin

WI-WINGS held a summit on May 27, 2015. The coordinator is:
Hon. Andrew Bissonnette
Executive Assistant to the Chief Justice

Four additional states also have established guardianship court-community partnerships:

  • In Georgia, a steering committee launched Georgia WINGS in December 2015.
    Contact: Kim Grier, Coordinator
    Georgia Department of Human Services
  • In Missouri, MO-WINGS grew out of a broadly inclusive task force convened by the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council. It has been working on a draft revision of the state guardianship code, which is currently open for comment.
    Contact: Dolores Sparks
    Program Specialist
    Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities
  • In Ohio, an Interdisciplinary Guardianship Committee is a permanent subcommittee of the state Supreme Court. The Subcommittee recommended new Supreme Court Rules, which were adopted in March 2015. In addition, work has begun on pre-service and continuing education for adult guardians.
    Contact: Hon. Dixie Park, Probate Judge, WINGS Chair
    Stark County Probate Court
    Stephanie Graubner-Nelson
    Policy and Research Counsel, Children & Families Section
    The Supreme Court of Ohio
  • In West Virginia, Legal Aid has organized a broad-based Roundtable focused on adult guardianship reform. View the 2016 West Virginia WINGS update.
    Contact: Jennifer Taylor
    Ombudsman Attorney
    Legal Aid of West Virginia

Social Security Coordination. The Office of the Commissioner, Social Security Administration, has designated SSA representatives to participate in each of the four new state WINGS groups, as well as the additional state groups. This participation will help to promote needed coordination between state courts with jurisdiction over adult guardianship and the SSA representative payee system.

The SSA Commissioner’s Office also has organized conference calls for the state WINGS coordinators and the SSA designated WINGS representatives.

2017 Update from the ABA’s Commission on Law and Aging Website: 

Elder Justice Innovation Grant
The Commission, in collaboration with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), has received an Elder Justice Innovation Grant from the federal Administration on Community Living to establish, expand, and enhance state Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS). The new project aims to improve the ability of state and local guardianship systems to develop protections less restrictive than guardianship, advance guardianship reforms and address abuse. The project will be aided by an Advisory Committee drawn from organizational members of the National Guardianship Network and from key judicial, legal, aging, and disability entities. Learn more.

For more information, read “WING tips” (2014 WINGS State Replication Guide for Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Holders)