The Florida Senate

744.708  Reports and standards.--

(1)  The public guardian shall keep and maintain proper financial, case control, and statistical records on all matters in which the public guardian serves as guardian.

(2)  No report or disclosure of the ward's personal and medical records shall be made, except as authorized by law.

(3)  A public guardian shall file an annual report on the operations of the office of public guardian, in writing, by September 1 for the preceding fiscal year with the Statewide Public Guardianship Office which shall have responsibility for supervision of the operations of the office of public guardian.

(4)  Within 6 months of his or her appointment as guardian of a ward, the public guardian shall submit to the clerk of the court for placement in the ward's guardianship file and to the executive director of the Statewide Public Guardianship Office a report on his or her efforts to locate a family member or friend, other person, bank, or corporation to act as guardian of the ward and a report on the ward's potential to be restored to capacity.

(5)(a)  Each office of public guardian shall undergo an independent audit by a qualified certified public accountant at least once every 2 years. A copy of the audit report shall be submitted to the Statewide Public Guardianship Office.

(b)  In addition to regular monitoring activities, the Statewide Public Guardianship Office shall conduct an investigation into the practices of each office of public guardian related to the managing of each ward's personal affairs and property. When feasible, the investigation required under this paragraph shall be conducted in conjunction with the financial audit of each office of public guardian under paragraph (a).

(c)  In addition, each office of public guardian shall be subject to audits or examinations by the Auditor General and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability pursuant to law.

(6)  A public guardian shall ensure that each of the guardian's wards is personally visited by the public guardian or by one of the guardian's professional staff at least once each calendar quarter. During this personal visit, the public guardian or the professional staff person shall assess:

(a)  The ward's physical appearance and condition.

(b)  The appropriateness of the ward's current living situation.

(c)  The need for any additional services and the necessity for continuation of existing services, taking into consideration all aspects of social, psychological, educational, direct service, health, and personal care needs.

(7)  The ratio for professional staff to wards shall be 1 professional to 40 wards. The Statewide Public Guardianship Office may increase or decrease the ratio after consultation with the local public guardian and the chief judge of the circuit court. The basis of the decision to increase or decrease the prescribed ratio shall be reported in the annual report to the Secretary of Elderly Affairs, the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

History.--s. 1, ch. 86-120; s. 103, ch. 89-96; s. 17, ch. 96-354; s. 1791, ch. 97-102; s. 8, ch. 99-277; s. 127, ch. 2001-266; s. 27, ch. 2006-178.