Iowa Guardianship Articles

The baseline rule is that the disabled adult’s home state has jurisdiction over the guardianship proceeding. The disabled adult’s home state is defined as a state in which the disabled adult was physically present for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the filing of the guardianship proceeding. A temporary absence counts toward this six month period. If the disabled adult does not have a “home state” because he or she has not lived in the same state for six consecutive months prior to filing the guardianship proceeding a state with a significant connection to the disabled adult may assert jurisdiction.

In this article, we explain the differences between a testamentary special needs trust and a stand-alone special needs trust as well as the pros and cons of each. We answer the questions, “what is a special needs trust?”, “what is a testamentary special needs trust?”, “what is a stand-alone special needs trust?”, “what are the benefits of a stand-alone special needs trust compared to a testamentary special needs trust?”, and “when is a testamentary special needs trust appropriate?”

A treatment plan is a detailed document that the facility must create within the first three days upon admittance of a patient that has been involuntarily committed. Treatment plans are shaped to each patient’s needs, therefore they vary from person to person. Once the treatment plan is complete (which should be in the first three days), the facility is obligated to give you a copy of the entire plan.