This year, Arcare became a proud member of the National Guardianship Association (NGA). NGA represents more than 1,000 guardians, conservators and fiduciaries from across the United States who share a vision for advancing the nationally recognized standard of excellence in guardianship and protecting incapacitated adults. NGA and its members work to strengthen guardianship and its related services through quality assurance, networking and education.
In October, Barb Helm, Arcare’s executive director, attended NGA’s National Guardianship Conference in Mesa, Arizona, to benefit from the association’s resources and take a comprehensive look at pertinent guardianship issues. Topics included, but were not limited to, elder justice, special needs trusts, protecting digital assets in guardianship and the ABLE Act.
NGA has also led the way in advocating certification of guardians by forming the Center for Guardianship Certification. This week, Barb earned her National Certified Guardian designation, becoming one of just 2,000 individuals who have earned certification as either a National Certified Guardian or National Master Guardian. As a certified Guardian, Barb can:
- Let potential clients, the court system and the general public know she is held to specific standards of practice
- Declare her professional competence
- Demonstrate her commitment to standards and ethics
- Have an objective measure and validation of her knowledge
- Be set apart from non-certified guardians as someone who has met nationally recognized requirements, including training and an examination
- Potentially meet requirements to practice as a guardian in some states
The certification is yet another representation of Arcare’s commitment to being a knowledgeable, trusted resource for individuals who need such services. We plan to have additional staff members complete the application process and examination required for certification in 2016.
View Barb’s official certification here.