SCARC Guardianship Services – Enduring Support Amidst Change in Leadership

Certified Guardians provide valuable service to families of individuals with developmental disabilities

If you are the parent of an individual with developmental disabilities, there are many worries, many concerns, that haunt your days.  But, the fear that keeps you awake on too many nights is:  How will my child survive in the world when I am no longer there to provide care….. oversight…… protection?  When the parent is gone, or abilities diminished, many individuals have no other family member or friend in a position to take over the often extensive and involved care that they need.

In 1992, recognizing the need for a community organization that could step in to assist families with overseeing the long term care of their loved one with a developmental disability, SCARC Guardianship Services was formed.  Over the last twenty-five years, besides serving as guardian for many individuals, this organization has grown to include a unique Pro Se Legal Advocacy Program and a Community Trust. Guiding this organization through its expansion, and extraordinary recognition of the guardianship needs of families, has been its Chief Executive Officer, Linda McConville.  After her long and successful tenure at SCARC Guardianship Services, Linda has retired this month, turning over the reins to a new Chief Executive Officer, Megan MacMullin, Esq.

As an attorney, Megan brings with her extensive experience in the guardianship process, estate planning, and elder law.  Prior to becoming an attorney, Megan was a school social worker supporting the needs of individuals with developmental and behavioral disabilities.  Megan will contribute an exceptional skill set and wealth of knowledge, gained in twenty-five years of experience, to the leadership of SCARC Guardianship Services.

One of SCARC Guardianship Services primary contributions to the developmental disability community continues to be that of guardian.  They serve in that role for many individuals who rely on them to assist with surviving the ups and downs, changes and challenges, of their lives. And, they serve as successor guardian, ready to step in, for many other individuals. SCARC Guardianship Service’s guardians are nationally certified by the Center for Guardianship Certification.  The services that guardians provide to each individual differ depending on the type of guardianship that was established for the individual by the court and the needs of the individual.  Each guardian develops a professional and personal relationship with their client, getting to know their singular wishes and needs in order to gain the knowledge necessary for them to act responsibly as guardian.  Guardians become a consistent presence, always available, to meet the lifelong needs of their clients.

Guardians provide comprehensive and varied oversight:

• Each guardian meets with their client no less than monthly to:
  • Assess physical appearance and condition
  • Assess living situation
• As needed, guardians:
  • Maintain communication with service providers
  • Participate in planning meetings
  • Examine charts, logs, and other documents maintained by service providers to determine the quality of services and adherence to service plans
  • Advocate on behalf of clients with service providers and seek remedies to identified deficiencies
  • Monitor health status and promote health and well being
  • Attend medical appointments, communicate with healthcare professionals, and follow up to make sure that orders are followed
• The guardian is responsible for providing medical consents and other consents as needed
• The guardian is the client’s representative payee, maintains bank accounts, and pays client’s bills
• The guardian plans for the current and future financial needs of the client
• The guardian oversees medical insurances and monitors stability of coverage
• The guardian maintains a computerized log of the current status of each client. The log is available to select SCARC Guardian Services staff who monitor the well being of all clients.
• The guardian submits a monthly report on each individual to the SCARC Guardianship Services Board of Trustees and CEO

Any parent who has met the long term, global needs of their child with developmental disabilities understands the significant, life sustaining role that they may someday need to hand over to an organization like SCARC Guardianship Services.  To place not just the health and safety, but the quality of life of your child in someone else’s hands – after many years of loving care and concern – is a heart-wrenching, but necessary step.  For over twenty-five years, SCARC Guardianship Services has proven that they are worthy of the trust of the families who have sought their aid, and the individuals who have needed their companionship on the journey of the rest of their lives.