This bill establishes a guardianship monitoring program within the Office of the Public Guardian for Elderly Adults in New Jersey. The program aims to monitor court-appointed legal guardians of elderly adults to detect any instances of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The Office of the Public Guardian will be designated as an interested party, ensuring it receives initial and periodic reports from court-appointed guardians. The bill outlines specific responsibilities for the public guardian, including ensuring compliance with reporting requirements, reviewing submitted reports and documentation, and intervening in proceedings if any issues are identified.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 6 of P.L.1985, c.298 (C.52:27G-25) to include new provisions that detail the functions of the guardianship monitoring program. These include the establishment of a system for reviewing reports concerning the well-being of wards and financial accounting, as well as the authority for the public guardian to intervene in cases where a guardian is not fulfilling their duties or where the ward's best interests are at stake. The bill also modifies the existing legal framework by deleting a previous provision and adding new responsibilities for the public guardian, thereby enhancing oversight and protection for elderly adults under guardianship.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:27G-25