Washington
Association of Professional Guardians
President’s Report
May 9, 2008
From November 5, 2007 to May 9, 2008 we have had
a busy time. We adopted
Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation and were incorporated in the
State of
Washington
as a not for profit corporation on November 24, 2007.
We have gained respect from the Certification
Professional Guardian Board accepting monthly reports and eager for
input from CPGs. The
University
of
Washington Extension Program
wants our help to evolve the new certification training program.
The Institute for Public Policy wants our help in establishing
its evaluation of the Office for Public Guardianship.
And, the National Guardian Association wants us as affiliate
members again.
MEMBERSHIP:
Glenda Voller reports that there are 83 CPGs who have joined
WAPG in less than six months. There
seem to be 258 CPGs in the state last December so we have 32% of the
CPGs in the State who are members of WAPG.
One of the key things for a state association is
to find a way to be a state association.
I found it interesting to identify where the 251 CPGs were
which I did from the OAC list in November 2007.
The following is that breakdown:
The big question: How does a State Organization involve members
in chapters or meetings across the State when there are not members
across the state?
Another interesting statistic on our membership.
There are 163 individual CPGs and 95 CPGs in Agencies in the
state. WAPG members
include 34 individual CPGs and 48 CPGs in Agencies.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
We are in good shape. Bill
Jaback, our Treasurer, has asked Dian on his staff to maintain our
records. The following is
their report as of March 31, 2008:
Inflow:
$9,008.58
Outflow:
94.88
Balance 3-31-08
$8,913.70
COMMITTEES:
Our bylaws call for a Committee or task force to be formed when
three members indicate an interest and willingness to do something.
This has been confusing to some who want to see regular
Committees but don’t want to be on them.
It has been frustrating to others as they are afraid to suggest
anything as they will be asked to help in the group.
I believe we have accomplished a lot with this procedure and we
have a lot of ideas that would be nice to get going but can’t
without people.
Steering Committee:
our first Committee. Chris
Neil, Christopher Fast, Laura Sealey, and Miryam Gordon brought the
recommendation on the amount of our application fee.
Spring Seminar:
Leesa Camerota, Christopher Fast, Bill Jaback co chaired the group and
planned the Seminar for May 9th.
They have visions for future programs and Leesa has already
committed to do a Fall Seminar. She
also believes there should be a permanent committee so the whole
education program for CPGs can be planned out and a WAPG education
philosophy developed.
GR 23: Chris
Neil, Laura Sealey, Resa Raven, Jamie VanArsdall were a group very
committed to getting comments to the Supreme Court on General Rule 23
which governs the Certification Board.
In depth research and analysis and a detailed report provided
members with information to send to the Supreme Court.
It also enabled us to meet with representatives of the CPG
Board and have some changes recommended to the CPG Board.
Insurance: Resa
Raven led an effort to understand the CPG Board’s requirement for
Insurance and see who was having trouble meeting the requirement.
The main thing that came out was members had sticker shock from
the cost of insurance and the majority of those who faced
decertification for not getting insurance were getting out of the
business anyway. There is
still work to do to make sure the CPG Board and the WAPG members are
on the same page with the waivers and exceptions.
With an affiliation with the NGA our members will be able to
get a 5% discount on the NGA E & O Insurance.
CPG Board: Tom
O’Brien and Ken Curry have attended the CPG Board meetings and
provided reports that have been posted on the WAPG web site.
Several others have attended the CPG Board meetings.
WAPG members on the Board include CPGs John Jardine, Lori
Peterson, and Gary Beagle. WAPG
members Michael Longyear and Robin Balsam are attorney/CPGs on the
Board as well. Chris Neil
and Ken Curry have been appointed to the CPG Board this month by the
Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
Ken Curry has been advised that there may be a conflict of
interest to serve as an officer of WAPG and a CPG Board member.
WAPG Web site and WAPG
list serve. Tom
O’Brien agreed to continue these two services established in the
previous WAPG. The Web
site has a variety of reports and tabs to get to significant web
sites. The WAPG list serve
is currently for any CPG that asks to be on it to exchange information
and ask questions.
Nominating Committee:
Chris Neil, Lynne Fulp, Lori Petersen, and Scott Malavotte were a
dedicated group that met by phone and determined that the interim
Officers should be asked to continue if they were interested.
Legislative Watch:
Sylvia Curry did quick web research and found legislation that could
impact Guardians and circulated it.
None were passed but the message was clear that CPGs need to
get to know their local legislators so we can quickly impact
legislation if we need to.
Data Collection:
Ken Curry, Sylvia Curry, Carole Gaherin, and
Sharon Johnson
provided source data on their clients for the Institute for Public
Policy. The Institute for
Public Policy was directed by the Legislature to create an Evaluation
Plan for the Office of Public Guardianship.
The Senior Researcher contacted WAPG and our data collection
group provided some facts about their clients (in summary fashion) to
help the Institute correct its first draft.
There is a possibility that this WAPG group could contract with
the IPP to provide a comparison group for the financial evaluation of
the OPG. It would be great
to have more members participating in this effort.
UW Extension:
While not an official group of WAPG, we must be proud of the
CPGs who were asked to be on this group to help evolve the new
training program for certification.
Gary Beagle,
Mimi Hudson
, John Jardine, Lexie Lamborn, Amy Miller and Tom O’Brien were asked
to help with the effort. The
Director of the program asked to speak at a WAPG meeting and asked
WAPG members to comment on the training program as it evolves through
web site input. It is also
known that CPGs will be asked to be instructors in the new program.
POTENTIAL COMMITTEES: Groups
that have been suggested but do not have member support yet:
WAC 388.79:
There is a great need to increase the $175 per month that has
been in place for nearly ten years.
With the Legislature allowing the new OPG to pay $400 per month
to Public Guardians it seems that the opportunity is ripe to have the
RCW reflect the amount instead of the WAC and that a Cost of Living be
allowed each year. Eliminating
the MNIL on fees and conform the notice to court rules should also be
goals of this group.
Membership:
A lot of talk and interest but no coordinated effort.
Several members have recruited new members and want to do more.
We gathered several more with our Seminar.
Speakers Bureau:
Identify individuals who will speak at events such as Rotary,
Chambers, etc. about Guardianship.
Pandemic Preparedness:
What part will or can Guardians play when a disaster such as
the pandemic flu hits and not only our clients are affected but the
staff in the facilities which they live are impacted. You may have
noticed that an influential group of physicians in
Chicago
drafted a grimly specific list of recommendations of who won’t get
services:
