The L.A. County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to pursue an overhaul of the Office of the Public Guardian by looking for ways to bring down caseloads, improve the quality of services, and ensure those who qualify for public guardianship are getting adequate care.
The move comes as the county embarks on a massive effort to address homelessness and cut the number of people ending up in jail because of untreated mental illness.
At the moment, the office serves as a conservator for 2,700 people. Due to staffing issues, deputies in the office each have 70-110 cases, according to the office of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who authored the overhaul motion.
Under the motion, which received unanimous support, mental health officials, advocacy groups, and court officials will look at how the county can reform the conservatorship process, start to track and measure outcomes from the program, and address staffing issues.
To read more of Rina Palta's article, please click here.
Comments (0)