JUN 7–The Montgomery County Elder Access to Justice Roundtable presents the “Oops! I Did It Again: Exploring Guardianship Alternatives” conference on Friday, June 17 at the Inn at Villanova and virtually through Zoom. The conference features executive director Karen Buck as part of a panel discussing the four main areas that will be covered more in depth in breakout sessions: mediation, restorative justice, supported decision-making and community supports, and alternatives to guardianship. Attorney Valerie Snow will present during the breakout on supported decision-making. Dana Goldberg presents on legal alternatives to guardianship.
The keynote speaker will be the Honorable Lois Murphy, Administrative Judge of Montgomery County Orphans’ Court. The panel includes: Pam Walz, Esq., Community Legal Services; Kelly Darr, Esq., Disability Rights Pennsylvania; Karen Buck, Esq., executive director of SeniorLAW Center; and Diane Menio, executive director of the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE); The Honorable Sheila Woods-Skipper, Administrative Judge of Philadelphia Orphans’ Court (Moderator). A session on mediation features Sharon Eckstein, Esq., Eckstein Conflict Resolution Services; Winnie Backlund, Esq., Institute for the Study of Conflict Resolution. The session on Supported Decision-Making and Community Supports features Valerie Snow, Esq., SeniorLAW Center and Jennifer Hruslinksi, CARIE. The session on Restorative Justice features Maati Yvonne Platts, Roots of Justice and Sue Wasserkrug, Esq., CORA Good Shepherd Mediation. And the session on Legal Alternatives features Michelle Berk, Esq., Berk Elder Law & Dana Goldberg, Esq., SeniorLAW Center.
The Elder Access to Justice Roundtable hosts an annual conference to address issues confronting providers and caregivers in protecting seniors from abuse and neglect. The conference typically draws more than 150 professionals working with seniors including attorneys, bankers, social workers, nurses, professional guardians, facility personnel, and more.
From the EJR website: “The Elder Access to Justice Roundtable was created to bring together diverse representatives of the community to raise awareness, prevent, identify, and address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation by enhancing communication, identifying systemic problems, sponsoring training, and improving access to justice and services in Montgomery County. The Roundtable meets monthly with a membership representing such wide-ranging groups as police, the County Sheriff, the District Attorney and Public Defender’s offices, healthcare and senior providers, legal advocates for seniors, hospitals, community advocates, judges from several Montgomery County judicial systems, the Recorder of Deeds, and members of the Offices of Senior Services, Public Health, Veterans Affairs and the Coroner’s Office. This broad array of professionals touch the lives of seniors in varied ways but come together to share information, expertise, and concern for the senior population of Montgomery County.”
For more information about the event, click here.