Making important life decisions
Crime Victim Services' Guardian Program provides qualified, trained, and committed court-appointed Volunteer Guardians for adult victims deemed unable to make important life decisions while ensuring their safety, dignity, and quality of life. 

Ensure safety.
​Provide dignity.
Advocate for quality of life. 
Contact us:
419-222-8666
Elysia Bush LSW –
Guardian Program Director
ebush@crimevictimservices.org

Katie Campbell MSW, LISW– Guardian Coordinator
kcampbell@crimevictimservices.org

​330 N. Elizabeth Street, 2nd Floor
Lima, OH 45801
 

WE SERVE...
​Adults who are found to be incompetent of making important life decisions, managing their own personal affairs and do not have an appropriate support person in their life to make such decisions. The person in need of guardianship may experience a variety of issues that determine such incompetence, including:
· Issues related to Aging
· Alzheimer’s Disease
· Dementia (related to aging, injury or illness)
· Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities
· Mental health diagnosis
· Substance Dependency
· Traumatic Brain Injury and Acquired Brain Injury
 

As a Volunteer Guardian, Crime Victim
​supports you with:

​· documenting case activities
· filing annual reports at court
· monitoring court deadlines
· providing opportunities for continuing education 
· supporting guardians in day-to-day decision making for medical and                         residential services.

Interested?

Attend a one hour information session. 

​​Download an application below.  Successful applicants complete: a written application, a personal interview, a reference check and background check. 

Training Requirements

* ​Initial 6 hour Fundamentals of Guardianship course through the Ohio Supreme Court.   
* Initial 3 hour orientation course through Crime Victim Services Guardian Program. 
* 5 hours annual continuing education courses (3 hours through Ohio Supreme Court, 2 hours                                      through Guardian Program).

Commitment

​Average time commitment of 2-3 hours per month.  Additional time required as needed, specific to the needs of the protected person.
 
​Due to grant funding requirements, persons under guardianship that we serve must also be a victim of crime in which the victimization has caused or significantly increases their ongoing cognitive or physical vulnerability to be re-victimized.  Knowledge of and/or documentation of the victimization must be provided.
 
FORMS TO DOWNLOAD:     
Volunteer Guardian Application
Monthly Report
2018 Guardian Brochure
2019 Legal Options Toolbox
Volunteer Timesheet

LINKS:
Allen County Probate Court  www.allenohioprobate.com/FORMS/guardianship
NGA standards and principles  www.guardianship.org/standards/
Ohio Guardianship Assoc. http://guardianshipohio.org/
National Research Center for Supported Decision-Making   http://www.supporteddecisionmaking.org/
AFFILIATIONS:
National Guardianship Association member
Ohio Guardianship Association member
SafeZone trained agency
Ohio Advocate Network