Imagine if a family member of yours were ill. Any kind of illness will do but for these purposes we are going to assume that he/she has a form of mental illness (depression, Schizophrenia etc.) As you know mental illness is a debilitating condition that manifests itself in a number of ways. Some folks, you wouldn’t even know they had anything “wrong” with them. Others are so impaired that simple tasks such as showering, eating, shopping etc are monumental obstacles every day.
 
Now imagine that your loved one is “really” ill. You need to take care of him or her. You need to get them food, shelter, clothing. You would like them to have a degree of quality in their lives, friends and social activities, perhaps work and other means of fulfillment. Meanwhile you need to work and care for the rest of your family and ensure that they, as well as yourself, have all of the things that you all “need” to make your lives meaningful and fulfilling.
 
Despite your best efforts to help your loved one you are becoming increasingly frustrated because they simply do not get better, they continually decompensate and act unpredictably. You find that you need to put your life on hold so that you can continually solve problems and respond to issues that face your loved one every day.
 
Where would you begin? Do you know that there are state and local agencies that may be able to help? Do you know that there are courts specifically designed to address these types of needs?
 
Guardian Ad Litem Services, Inc (GALS) was developed to act as a resource for people who are given (or assume) the task of taking care of others. We work with the care giver to ensure that a realistic plan is put into place for the care of the person who is afflicted. Then we assemble a “team” of individuals who will be given certain jobs to fulfill within that plan. The plan will address all of the needs of the individual and will also include his/her own goals and wishes.
 
GALS maintains regular contact with the caregiver, the afflicted person and the entire team to be sure that everyone knows what the other is doing. We keep the team focused on the needs and goals of the afflicted person as well as the plan he/she helps to design. If a member of the team is not doing their “job” according to the plan, GALS acts as a watchdog agency to quickly correct the shortcomings. When the circumstances in the lives of the afflicted individual change or are disrupted, GALS knows instantly, coordinates the team to respond in the individuals’ best interest and adapt the plan accordingly.
 
GALS also has at its disposal information as to the illness and the history of the afflicted individual and we are authorized to share it with all team members and anyone else who may need information to help the individual in any way imaginable. This way, things that didn’t work in the past are not repeated and successes are encouraged.
 
GALS has been called the “air traffic controller” of many service systems. If you can imagine a hand… we sit in the palm of the hand with an afflicted person. We make sure that all of the fingers do what they are supposed to do independently. Also, we make sure that all of the fingers work together, understanding each others strengths and weaknesses and helping each other out for the benefit of the whole. In this manner the hand can lift the tiniest paper clip or pick the biggest apple from a tree.

GALs Was Formed To

• Assist individuals in need by advocating for quality health care services.
  
  
• Assist individuals in becoming active participants in treatment planning and navigating the mental health system.
  
  
• Provide support to court appointed conservators by monitoring progress and completing monthly reports pertaining to their ward.
  
  
• Facilitate open communication between the consumer and the various systems in which they interact.

How It Works
Guardian acts as an extension of the court appointed conservator. The project monitors daily activity and treatment of the conservator by:

• Completing an initial medical record review.
  
  
• Conducting frequent contact with service providers and community supports.
  
  
• Conducting regular visits with the consumer.
  
  
• Attending all treatment planning meetings with the consumer.

• The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on a monthly basis regarding each individual receiving services and agency activity.
  
  
• The conservator on a monthly basis in the form of an individualized report.
  
  
• The Probate Court Administration on a monthly basis regarding agency activity.