How One Woman Endured a Decade of Neglect in New York’s Guardianship System

New York’s guardianship system is supposed to care for tens of thousands of the state’s most vulnerable residents, whom the courts have deemed unfit to take care of themselves. Despite progressive legislation passed three decades ago to enhance the protections offered to wards, a new ProPublica investigation found that today’s system is in shambles, leaving wards voiceless and forgotten, and giving rise to a cottage industry of nonprofits that exploit wards under their care.
Reporter Jake Pearson chronicled how one woman endured a decade of neglect, living in a deteriorating Queens home with a collapsed roof and rat infestations. The investigation focused on New York Guardianship Services, which provided as few services as possible while withdrawing $450 in monthly compensation from hundreds of wards’ accounts. In this conversation, which originally happened live on Instagram, ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson and ProPublica editor Michael Mishak offer an exclusive look at how the investigation came together.
Read the story here: propub.li/3wHYCLF
NYGS executives declined to be interviewed for this story. In a statement, Sam Blau, the company’s chief financial officer, claimed that as a fiduciary he was barred from answering questions “about any specific client.” However, he noted, “we are accountable to the Court and our annual accounts and reports are scrutinized by Court-appointed examiners and any issues would be addressed.”
In his statement, Blau called our reporting “misguided, without full and proper context, filled with omissions and less than accurate information.” But when we asked him to specify his concerns, he did not respond.
// Timestamps //
0:00 - Start
1:13 - One woman’s experience with NY’s Guardianship system
3:19 - Who are “The Unbefriended”
6:14 - Outcomes of a broken guardianship system
8:35 - Who becomes a guardian
10:24 - Who oversees the guardians
13:08 - The gaps between Article 81’s promise and practice
17:54 - Oversight process
21:11 - Guardianship system improvement via policy
24:45 - How to get in contact with reporter Jake Pearson
26:14 - End
--
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[@joeynelson4176]

This says so much about our culture and society. A lot of it not good. We should (as a group) take care of those who cannot take care of themselves, not take advantage of them or neglect them. Shame on us. Thank you for pointing out this issue. Hopefully, this may help things change.

[@rabbit251]

My brother was a group home manager and his company made him guardian of the people in his house. The law in his state required that people to be eligible had to have less than $5000 in savings so they commonly would a "spend down" in which they were to buy the people new clothes, furniture, or whatever they needed. My brother submitted receipts of his in their stead or just made receipts and submitted them and stole thousands which he used to travel. He finally got caught and had to spend the weekends in jail, but went back to his same line of work with one caveat that he couldn't be a guardian. But he did this theft for years and because there was no oversight he got away with it.

[@joeynelson4176]

@@rabbit251 I'm sure that this happens more than we would like. Hope your brother learned from his mistakes.

[@traciegjewisheducation]

Where is the oversight on the nursing homes and the law firms who represent the nursing homes who take advantage of guardianship proceedings?

[@jacquirimown3886]

When judging a society, look at how it values the needy. Whether that be the young, the old, or challenged people, how a society meets those needs tells all you need to know. The world needs to do better.

[@faithatrest5]

My healthy daughter was under a court guardian (taken from a safe, happy home life with her family) my daughter imprisoned and drugged to death. She died 30 days ago. Imprisoned, drugged to death, abused and neglected with unbelievable injuries!!!