The Clearwater-Lewis Board of Community Guardians was formed in 1991 by Clearwater and Lewis Counties to provide guardianship services to adult citizens who are no longer able to care for themselves. Clients under our guardianship have been deemed incapacitated by the court, and have no family or friends who are willing or able to serve as their guardian.
The Board is an unincorporated nonprofit association, governed by a volunteer board of directors jointly appointed by the Clearwater and Lewis County Commissioners for four year terms. The Board is funded jointly by the two counties, and operates under the rules of Idaho Code § 15-5-602 as well as its own bylaws established by the Board of Directors.
Our Mission
Clients under are guardianship are vulnerable individuals who are unable to care for themselves, our mission is to ensure that they are safe, health, and have the best quality of life possible given their circumstances and any resources available to them.
What Does the Board Do?
Guardianship of an incapacitated adult is a serious responsibility. When the court appoints the Board as guardian for an individual, the Board has legal authority to akin to that of a parent to a minor child, only ending by court order or the passing of the client. The Board is responsible for making decisions about the client’s care, living arrangements, medical treatment, and other aspects of their life, including their finances (barring exceptional cases where there is a separate conservator appointed by the court). The Board is also responsible for ensuring that the client’s rights are protected and that they are treated with dignity and respect.
Responsibility to our Clients
Given the vulnerable nature of our clients, and the significant authority that a court-appointed guardian has over their lives, the Board must be diligent when performing its duties. Most of the clients that would be under our care are either elderly with memory disorders, or other adults with developmental disabilities, both groups that are particularly vulnerable to abuse or neglect. To ensure that our clients are safe and well cared for, the Board has established policies and procedures to ensure that the Board, any individuals in its employ, volunteers, and any individuals or entities that provide services to our clients are held to the highest standards of care and conduct.
Responsibility to the Community
The Board also has a responsibility to the community at large, as it operates as a joint power of Clearwater and Lewis Counties. While details of our clients affairs are confidential, and our meetings are not open to the public, the Board is accountable to the public for its actions and decisions. This includes providing annual reports to the county commissioners, filing annual reports with the courts for each of our clients, and ensuring that the Board is operating in as transparent a manner as possible given the confidential nature of our work.
The individuals who need our services are most often not aware of the Board’s existence, and are unlikely to be able to request assistance on their own behalf even if they did. As such, the Board performs various community outreach activities to ensure that the public is aware of the existence and purpose of the Board, in the hopes that those who need our services will be referred to us by concerned family members, friends, or other community members.
How Can I Help?
The Board is always in need of volunteers to help with various tasks, from serving on the Board of Directors, to visiting clients, community outreach, and more. If you are interested in volunteering, please see our volunteer page for more information.