The Center for Elders and the Courts (CEC) is pleased to offer the following training resources:
Guardianship Monitoring Protocol
The court’s duty to protect the well-being of an individual does not end when it appoints a guardian or conservator. After appointment, the court has an ongoing duty to monitor the guardianship or conservatorship, holding the guardian accountable for ensuring the person’s needs are being met. With a monitoring protocol, the court can identify guardians who are struggling, guide a guardian who needs assistance in fulfilling their duties, and the court can stop a guardian from using their court appointed authority to abuse, neglect, or exploit an individual. In this interactive series, court personnel will learn how to use the monitoring protocols, applying them to fictional case reports.
Finding the Right Fit
The National Center for State Courts has launched Finding the Right Fit: Decision-Making Supports and Guardianship, online training to support someone who needs help making decisions and managing life. The engaging, interactive course has something for everyone – friends and family members, guardians, and individuals who want to plan for their own future or need help now – and explains legal concepts in plain language. It includes three tracks: supporting decisions, using legal options to support or substitute decision-making, and serving as a guardian. The training also offers realistic scenarios to help users develop strategies for their own lives.
Conservatorship Video Series
The National Center for State Courts has launched two video series aimed at clarifying common areas of confusion for conservator cases. One series is geared toward probate court staff and provides best practices for monitoring these cases. A second series provides new conservators with key concepts they should know about their role and responsibilities.
Online Elder Abuse Course
The online course, Justice Responses to Elder Abuse, open to all persons upon registration, is an extensive program divided into four parts: Aging in America; Enhancing Elder Abuse Awareness; Special Issues and Tools for Courts; and Case Scenarios.
10 Tips Series
This series features seven videos of some of the nation’s leading experts discussing a wide assortment of subjects. Learn about strategies to use in cases involving elderly witnesses, how to establish an elder protection court or Elder Justice Center, how to develop a working relationship with Adult Protection Services, best practices in guardianship appointments, and more.
Guardianship Webinar
Adult guardianship cases are some of the most complex cases handled in civil and probate courts. While each state differs in qualifications, processes, and monitoring requirements, there are standards that can guide your court in developing robust practices that enhance both court efficiencies and oversight. This webinar, led by CEC Director, Dr. Brenda Uekert, is based on NACM’s Adult Guardianship Guide and provides action steps courts can take to improve guardianship practices. Concrete examples of innovative approaches and collaborative efforts are highlighted. Consideration is also given to the level of resources available to the court.
Elder Abuse Curriculum for State Judicial Educators
The elder abuse curriculum, a joint project of the National Center for State Courts and the Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, offers a three-part curriculum that can be adapted to meet state laws and practices. The entire program can be delivered in three to four hours.
Additional Training Resources
Check this area for links to training offered by other organizations and for state-specific judicial training programs related to elder abuse.