Program participants must start in sequence with the first course commencing on September 25th. Classes meet at Spokane classrooms for the first two Friday and Saturday all day class sessions; and in Yakima for the last two Friday and Saturday all day class sessions. The online portion of each of the three courses requires broadband Internet access and audio capability in the student's PC for listening (NOTE: Online Internet access can also be obtained at a public library).

The Guardian 101 course is not eligible for single course enrollment. Guardian 102 and Guardian 103 are eligible for space-available, single course enrollment.

Autumn Courses

Guardian 101: Guardianship Basics

Schedule: Three classroom sessions all held in Spokane: September 25 and 26, 2009, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Friday, November 13, 2009, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; and a total of 13 hours of online classes from September 28-November 12, 2009; $950.

Instructors:

Instructors: Martha Duggan, Leesa Camerota. Potential guest speakers: Richard Sayre and Deborah Jameson.

This course provides an introduction to guardianship. Learning outcomes include:

• Successful identification of alternatives to guardianship
• Overview of Washington State Statutes (11.88 & 11.92) that pertain to Guardianship
• Understanding of the process of appointment to Guardianship; petition, review, GAL's (Guardian Ad Litem) role, appointment procedures, court orders
• Describing what a Guardian does and does not do
• Identifying needs of the incapacitated person and resources needed to meet those needs
• Understanding how to prepare personal care plans and periodic reports
  • Gathering necessary information, distilling, synthesizing, reporting
• Knowing duties and roles in personal decision-making - medical, social, and psychological
• Understanding and adapting when changes in circumstances occur and in what circumstances to request court direction
• Comprehending special issues facing the guardian of the person: residential placement, code status, and extraordinary medical procedures
  • Understanding the specific responsibilities and limitations of authority regarding these special issues
• Exploring the responsibility of a potential Guardian for due diligence as to whether to accept a proposed case
  • Assess the student's own appropriateness as a proposed Guardian in a specific case; and
  • To find other resources as needed
• Creating a full report for the court

Guardian 102: Guardianship Roles

Schedule: Three classroom sessions all held in Spokane except where indicated: Friday, November 13, 2009, 1:30-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 14, 2009, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; and Friday, January 8, 2010, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Yakima); and a total of 16 hours of online classes from November 16, 2009- January 8, 2010; $950.

Instructors: TBA

This course course provides a more comprehensive overview of guardianship roles. Topics, activities, and learning outcomes include:

• Understand the responsibilities and limitations of a Guardian of the Estate and Guardianship of the Person
• Be able to identify the Estate-related needs of the incapacitated person and to identify and arrange the resources needed to meet those needs
• Know what can be done without specific court authority
• Know what additional authority a guardian may need for both financial and personal care related matters
• Understand the implications of a major financial change and know what to do when it occurs
• Be able to identify special financial issues such as
  1. Sales and gifting of assets (including bank CDs, stocks, bonds, annuities, personal possessions, and real estate) and
  2. The incapacitated person as trust beneficiary
• Marshalling and inventorying the assets, including court documents, handling of incoming mail, back tax returns, personal interviews, review of personal papers, title searches, credit reports, etc.
• The ability to identify common misconceptions regarding the marshaling of assets and preparation of the guardianship inventory
• Protecting the assets, including an overview of Washington State guardianship laws specific to bonds, blocked accounts, and affidavits from financial institutions.
• Writing periodic reports, accountings, including the beginning balance, income, expenditures, adjustments, fair market value and an accounting summary; as well as budgets.
• Filing petitions to the court for relief: lawsuits
• Notices to the court and designated persons
• Court supervision and delinquency monitoring
• Understanding of Special Needs Trust and resources required to assure that they are properly written
• Building from a model fiduciary's investment plan
• Developing and maintaining checklists for the above

Winter Course

Guardian 103: Advanced Issues in Guardianship

Schedule: Four classroom sessions all held in Yakima: Friday, January 8, 2010, 1:30-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; February 26-27, 2010, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; and a total of fifteen hours of online classes from January 10-February 25, 2010; $950.

Instructors: TBA

This course provides an overview of advanced issues in guardianship; the handling of conflict and the effective resolution of problems using constructive, mediation techniques. In addition, this course contains a distinct unit on the subject of establishing and maintaining a sustainable professional guardianship business operation.

Topics, activities, and learning outcomes include:

• Identifying and applying patterns of communication with an incapacitated person, their family(s), and other parties in guardianship actions; and engaging them in constructive problem solving.
  • Identifying and understanding the ethical, confidentiality, and conflict issues which may arise in the role of Guardian
  • Gain an understanding of how best to resolve the issues which may arise in the course of administration of the Guardianship
• Learn and be able to apply an ethical model/framework to decisions in ambiguous situations with incapacitated clients
• Apply standards such as substituted judgment and best interest to various case studies and debate the decision and the outcomes
• Understanding the possible remedies for breaches of ethical obligations and the consequences to the Guardian; and
• Understand the complaint processes as they pertain to Guardians
• Guardianship Business Operations
  • Setting up a business ("Professional Guardianship as a Sole Entrepreneur")
  • Understanding the Washington State Supreme Court-Certified Professional Guardian Board (CPG Board) Certified Professional Guardian CPG Program and how to apply to become a CPG.
  • Securing a business license, and setting up the business structure
  • Initial resource requirements
  • Managing cash flow
  • Record keeping as a fiduciary
  • Internal controls
  • Managing ongoing business operations
  • Retaining other professionals on behalf of your clients
  • Retaining other professionals on behalf of your business

How to sign up for single-course enrollment in this course