News

Michigan Elder Justice Initiative staff members Michael Daeschlein, Yosué González, Matt Nagaj, and Rachel Richards attended the Protect MI Care coalition’s March for Medicaid on July 30th—Medicaid and Medicare’s 61st anniversary.

New laws require court approval before guardians permanently move people from their homes and recent appraisals before courts approve home sales

For many years, the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) has advocated for reforms of the state’s guardianship and conservatorship systems. MEJI seeks  to both better protect the rights of and empower vulnerable individuals who are at the heart of these probate court proceedings. Since 2019, MEJI staff have worked closely with the Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Task Force to develop and advance a comprehensive package of legislation that would address the most urgent concerns in guardianship and conservatorship. Last week, we celebrated the passage by unanimous votes in both the Michigan House and the Michigan Senate of SB 585 and SB 586. These bills will provide crucial protections to individuals with guardians and conservators.

Michigan's Olmstead Coalition Condemns Department of Justice Memo Calling for Institutionalization of Older Adults and People with Disabilities.

On June 1, MEJI Director Alison Hirschel was pleased to join a small group of national advocates for nursing home residents in a meeting with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Representation means listening, accommodating, and advocating for the client’s goals.

Bloomberg Law recently covered changes to ABA Model Rule 1.14, the model ethics rule that addresses how lawyers work with clients who may need support communicating or making decisions.

Michigan has now taken the first steps toward adopting those changes.

How do medical professionals evaluate decision-making capacity—and what does that mean for legal practice? Join Kahli Zietlow, MD, and Leslie Dubin, LMSW, ACSW, of the University of Michigan for an interdisciplinary discussion bridging medicine, social work, and law.

MAGIC is recruiting adults with experience of guardianship to help shape reform in Michigan.

The Michigan Advancing Guardianship Innovations Center (MAGIC) is establishing a Lived Experience Advisory Group to help improve the guardianship system in Michigan. MAGIC believes that meaningful reform must be led by the people most affected by it.

Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) and Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (MLTCOP) staff members have been featured in new articles in MLive and the Detroit Free Press regarding nursing homes.