As if the parents of children with disabilities didn’t have enough stress and worries to confront on a daily basis, the COVID 19 pandemic has pushed to the forefront the possibility of their own mortality and the issue of whom will undertake the role of being the legal guardian and primary caretaker of their disabled child (minor and/or adult).
If the child is a minor and has two parents, the surviving parent would continue to be the legal guardian during the child’s minority (in New York, until age eighteen (18)). However, once the disabled child has attained the age of 18, depending on their incapacities, diagnosis and needs, the parent should strongly consider being appointed the legal guardian for the disabled child through an Article 17-A Guardianship or an Article 81-Guardianship, if appropriate.
A proceeding under Article 17-A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (“17-A”) is commonly utilized for soon-to-be adult children that have “developmental and/or intellectual disabilities” that manifested before the age of twenty-two (22), such as autism, autism spectrum, traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, dyslexia and other neurological and intellectual disabilities.
A Guardianship proceeding commenced under 17-A requires the sworn report of two (2) treating physicians and/or one psychologist and a physician, as to the developmental and/or intellectual disabilities of the child, which must be submitted to the Surrogate’s Court in support of the proceeding. The petitioning party must also establish that a guardianship is needed and that the individual is permanently or indefinitely incapable of handling his/her own personal and financial affairs due to a developmental and/or intellectual disability which manifested itself before the age of 22.
If the petitioner is appointed 17-A guardian of the person and property by the Surrogate’s Court, the guardian will be given extensive authority relevant to the child’s health care, personal and financial affairs. 17-A Guardianships have typically been criticized as being too rigid and restrictive, as they have not been tailored to the child’s specific needs. In recent years, the Surrogate’s Court has been more careful to assure that the appointment of a Guardian(s) is the least restrictive means available to handle the affairs of the child. They have also begun tailoring the powers given to the Guardian based on the facts at hand and the individual’s specific needs and abilities.
Unlike 17-A Guardianships, an Article 81 Guardianship Proceeding under Mental Hygiene Law of New York (“Article 81”) is a proceeding commenced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, not the Surrogate’s Court. In an Article 81 Guardianship proceeding, the Court need only find that the individual is an incapacitated person that requires assistance with his or her personal and financial affairs and that they are unable to appreciate the consequences of their functional limitations. While Article 81 Guardianships do not have any age limitation or restriction, they are generally used where an adult, not a minor, requires a Guardian.
Alternatively, for a high-functioning disabled child, the parents should consider alternatives to Guardianship such as the execution of a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney by the disabled child once he or she reaches the age of eighteen (18).
There are many steps that a parent and/or caretaker of a disabled child can take in order to plan for the disabled individual’s future needs and care. An experienced attorney who handles Guardianship Proceedings, Special Needs Planning and Estate Planning should be contacted to discuss all options available.
Lauren Lauren C. Enea, Esq. is an Associate at Enea, Scanlan & Sirgnano, LLP. She concentrates her practice on Wills, Trusts and Estates, Medicaid Planning, Special Needs Planning and Probate/Estate Administration. She graduated from Pace University School of Law Summa Cum Laude and is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida. Ms. Enea is the Sponsorship Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section Sponsorship Committee of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), the Co-Chair of the NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Section 2020 Fall Meeting and the Publications Committee Production Editor for the NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Section Journal. She can be reached at 914-948-1500 or at L.Enea@esslawfirm.com. Please visit www.esslawfirm.com for more information.
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10 Jun 2021
0 Commentsfor parents of children with disabilities
As if the parents of children with disabilities didn’t have enough stress and worries to confront on a daily basis, the COVID 19 pandemic has pushed to the forefront the possibility of their own mortality and the issue of whom will undertake the role of being the legal guardian and primary caretaker of their disabled child (minor and/or adult).
If the child is a minor and has two parents, the surviving parent would continue to be the legal guardian during the child’s minority (in New York, until age eighteen (18)). However, once the disabled child has attained the age of 18, depending on their incapacities, diagnosis and needs, the parent should strongly consider being appointed the legal guardian for the disabled child through an Article 17-A Guardianship or an Article 81-Guardianship, if appropriate.
A proceeding under Article 17-A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (“17-A”) is commonly utilized for soon-to-be adult children that have “developmental and/or intellectual disabilities” that manifested before the age of twenty-two (22), such as autism, autism spectrum, traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, dyslexia and other neurological and intellectual disabilities.
A Guardianship proceeding commenced under 17-A requires the sworn report of two (2) treating physicians and/or one psychologist and a physician, as to the developmental and/or intellectual disabilities of the child, which must be submitted to the Surrogate’s Court in support of the proceeding. The petitioning party must also establish that a guardianship is needed and that the individual is permanently or indefinitely incapable of handling his/her own personal and financial affairs due to a developmental and/or intellectual disability which manifested itself before the age of 22.
If the petitioner is appointed 17-A guardian of the person and property by the Surrogate’s Court, the guardian will be given extensive authority relevant to the child’s health care, personal and financial affairs. 17-A Guardianships have typically been criticized as being too rigid and restrictive, as they have not been tailored to the child’s specific needs. In recent years, the Surrogate’s Court has been more careful to assure that the appointment of a Guardian(s) is the least restrictive means available to handle the affairs of the child. They have also begun tailoring the powers given to the Guardian based on the facts at hand and the individual’s specific needs and abilities.
Unlike 17-A Guardianships, an Article 81 Guardianship Proceeding under Mental Hygiene Law of New York (“Article 81”) is a proceeding commenced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, not the Surrogate’s Court. In an Article 81 Guardianship proceeding, the Court need only find that the individual is an incapacitated person that requires assistance with his or her personal and financial affairs and that they are unable to appreciate the consequences of their functional limitations. While Article 81 Guardianships do not have any age limitation or restriction, they are generally used where an adult, not a minor, requires a Guardian.
Alternatively, for a high-functioning disabled child, the parents should consider alternatives to Guardianship such as the execution of a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney by the disabled child once he or she reaches the age of eighteen (18).
There are many steps that a parent and/or caretaker of a disabled child can take in order to plan for the disabled individual’s future needs and care. An experienced attorney who handles Guardianship Proceedings, Special Needs Planning and Estate Planning should be contacted to discuss all options available.