The first Guardianship and Conservatorship Summit, sponsored and presented by Jewish Family Service of Tidewater’s Personal Affairs Management Program, took place on September 24 at the Sandler Family Campus. Approximately 150 people from throughout Hampton Roads attended.
The summit included speakers from JFS’ Personal Affairs Management program and an attorney who works closely with JFS. Each of the speakers brought expertise to share with the attendees – hospital discharge and intake staff, nursing home administrators and staff, owners and managers of group homes for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and representatives from various independent living and skilled nursing facilities.
“There is a lot of confusion on what it means to be appointed guardian,” said Dorothy Salomonsky, PAM program director. “Just because someone has poor judgement does not mean they need a guardian.”
Greg Pomije, an attorney and Commissioner of Accounts for the city of Portsmouth, noted “Guardianship appointments are very serious. People under guardianship most often lose their right to vote, to own guns, to drive a car, among other things. State statutes outline due process,” he continued, “but the court outlines the individual restrictions.”
Lloyd Clements, PAM’s clinical director, shared insights based on his more than 25 years with the agency and background as a licensed professional counselor. “People come to us for a variety of reasons,” he said. “It is our goal to help them as much as we can by providing person-centered strategies that help them maintain their dignity and have a good quality of life.”
Nikcole Gerhardt, PAM’s client and community relations manager, outlined the intake process, reiterating that the agency does not petition the courts for referrals to the PAM program. Once a person is appointed to JFS, the representative for the agency must post bond and qualify before the court clerk. JFS receives hundreds of referrals each year, and currently serves as guardian to approximately 1,300 incapacitated people.
When someone is appointed a guardian, they are often also appointed a conservator, who is appointed by order of the circuit court and is responsible for managing the estate and financial affairs of an incapacitated person to ensure their financial well-being. “This is a time-consuming process,” said Andrei Niazdoimin, JFS director of finance and accounting. “The agency is responsible for the financial affairs of the person appointed to us. We do not know anything about them, what assets they have, what resources. We apply for benefits on their behalf and maintain a fiduciary relationship with them while also ensuring that all their needs are met.”
Dorothy Salomonsky was recognized at the event with an award. Harry Graber, who was executive director for JFS at the time of the program’s development, remembered hiring Salomonsky nearly 30 years ago. “What started out as a volunteer job for 10 hours a week became a full-time job. Dorothy’s work helped to shape guardianship rules for adults throughout Virginia, and the program was named by the Governor’s Office as a Model Program. I am very proud to have been associated with Dorothy,” he said. For her outstanding achievements for 29 years as the program director, she was presented with an award on behalf of JFS thanking her for her outstanding devotion.