News

Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI), in partnership with fellow Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services program Michigan Legal Help (MLH), has been awarded a $196,702 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The two-year grant will support the Guardianship Education, Information, and Tools Project, which will develop free, accessible online resources to help Michigan residents navigate adult guardianship and conservatorship.

Approximately 60,000 adults in Michigan are under guardianship, with an additional 10,000 subject to conservatorship. These arrangements can significantly restrict an individual's ability to make decisions about their own life, health care, finances and living arrangements. Yet individuals and families often lack clear information about their options, rights and responsibilities.

The project will create a dedicated guardianship and conservatorship articles, resources and do-it-yourself tools on the Michigan Legal Help website, which already serves more than 2 million visitors annually. The project will allow individuals and family members to identify and implement appropriate less restrictive alternatives to guardianship and conservatorship, such as  financial and medical powers of attorney. For people currently under guardianship or conservatorship, the project will create resources about their rights, including how to ask a court to modify or terminate an arrangement when appropriate. Family members serving as guardians and conservators will also find practical guidance on their responsibilities, such as do-it-yourself tools to complete required court filings. 

The work on the project begins in 2027, with new resources expected to launch on Michigan Legal Help in 2028.