Iowa Code 231E.2 – Office of public guardian — findings and intent
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
|
Other versions
1. a. The general assembly finds that many adults in this state are unable to meet essential requirements to maintain their physical health or to manage essential aspects of their financial resources and are in need of guardianship, conservatorship, or representative payee services. However, a willing and responsible person may not be available to serve as a private guardian, conservator, or representative payee or the adult may not have adequate income or resources to compensate a private guardian, conservator, or representative payee.
b. The general assembly further finds that a process should exist to assist individuals in finding alternatives to guardianship, conservatorship, or representative payee services and less intrusive means of assistance before an individual’s independence or rights are limited.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 231E.2
- Conservator: means conservator as defined in section 633. See Iowa Code 231E.3
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Guardian: means guardian as defined in section 633. See Iowa Code 231E.3
- person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Public guardian: means the state public guardian or a local public guardian. See Iowa Code 231E.3
- Public guardianship services: means guardianship, conservatorship, or representative payee services provided by the state public guardian or a local public guardian. See Iowa Code 231E.3
- Representative payee: means an individual appointed by a government entity to receive funds on behalf of a client pursuant to federal regulation. See Iowa Code 231E.3
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
- State office: means the state office of public guardian. See Iowa Code 231E.3
2. a. It is, therefore, the intent of the general assembly to establish a state office of public guardian and authorize the establishment of local offices of public guardian to provide public guardianship services to adults, when no private guardian, conservator, or representative payee is available.
b. It is also the intent of the general assembly that the state office of public guardian provide assistance to both public and private guardians, conservators, and representative payees throughout the state in securing necessary services for their wards and clients, and to assist guardians, conservators, representative payees, wards, clients, courts, and attorneys in the orderly and expeditious handling of guardianship, conservatorship, and representative payee proceedings.