Community Guardian Program

Selfhelp is one of three New York City agencies that can serve as guardian for Adult Protective Services (APS) clients deemed legally incapacitated, and as a result, unable to provide for their personal needs and/or manage their own property.

A guardian can be an intensive case manager, a surrogate decision-maker, a coordinator of community services and a money manager for the individual. As with all Selfhelp programs, our goal as guardian is to keep clients comfortable and safe in the community with as much independence as possible.

Referrals to the Community Guardian Program come from APS.

As guardian, we may be empowered to collect and manage the income and assets of our clients, make budgets, pay bills, and reconcile bank accounts. We apply for benefits and grants, find apartments, sign leases and arrange for insurance. We oversee real estate and other assets. With court permission, we may sell property, arrange for a mortgage or reverse mortgages. We also work to resolve eviction cases for our guardian clients.

Our social workers visit, assess the needs and arrange for services for our Community Guardian Program clients. Services include arranging for home health aides, medical care, housekeeping and homemaking. Our goal is to enable each client to be as independent as possible within the boundaries of his or her circumstances.