Section 40. Personnel standards

A. Each paid staff who is working in the public guardian program and has direct contact with clients or client estates shall:

1. Complete an orientation program concerning guardian and conservator duties to include the following subjects:

a. Privacy and confidentiality requirements;

b. Recordkeeping;

c. Services provided, and standards for these services;

d. A historical and factual review about the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities; and

e. Indications of and actions to be taken where adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation is suspected.

2. Have a satisfactory work record and be a person of good character; demonstrate a concern for the well-being of others to the extent that the individual is considered suitable to be entrusted with the care, guidance, and protection of an incapacitated person; and have not been convicted of any criminal offense involving any physical attack, neglect or abuse of a person, lying, cheating, or stealing nor convicted of any felony. A criminal record check will be conducted on each person hired on or after January 1, 2009.

3. Be free of illegal drug use as confirmed by a drug screening test conducted prior to the assumption of any duties with an incapacitated person for each person hired on or after January 1, 2009.

4. Demonstrate, by objective criteria, knowledge of Virginia's guardianship laws and alternatives to guardianship. For each person hired on or after January 1, 2009, minimum education requirements apply and include a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED) from a Virginia accredited program and training or course work on (i) the duties and powers of guardians and conservators in Virginia, including an understanding of surrogate decision making and how it differs from substituted judgment decision-making standards, (ii) mandatory reporting requirements to the Department of Social Services and Commissioner of Accounts where applicable, and (iii) working with special needs populations including individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Program directors have additional requirements as specified in 22VAC30-70-30 C 1.

5. Participate in mandatory training programs required by the department.

B. Volunteers.

1. Volunteers may be recruited and used to supplement paid staff. However, volunteers shall not be included in the public guardian program direct service ratio of 20 incapacitated persons to every one paid staff person as required under 22VAC30-70-30 D 1.

2. Volunteers may not exercise the authority of a guardian or conservator.

3. Each public guardian program that uses volunteers shall develop and implement written procedures for volunteer management and supervision including requirements that each volunteer shall:

a. Complete an orientation program that provides an overview of the Virginia Public Guardian and Conservator Program (§§ 51.5-149, 51.5-150, and 51.5-151 of the Code of Virginia).

b. Complete an orientation program that provides an overview of the local public guardian program for which the person intends to serve as a volunteer, including (i) services provided by the local program, (ii) specific duties of the volunteer, (iii) privacy and confidentially requirements, (iv) recordkeeping and documentation requirements, and (v) indications of and action to be taken where adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation is suspected.

c. Have a satisfactory work record and personal record and be a person of good character and have not been convicted of any criminal offense involving any physical attack, neglect or abuse of a person, lying, cheating, or stealing nor convicted of any felony. A criminal record check will be conducted on each volunteer accepted by the local program on or after January 1, 2009.

Historical Notes

Former 22VAC5-30-40 derived from Volume 24, Issue 25, eff. January 1, 2009; amended and renumbered Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 04, eff. November 22, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§ 51.5-150 of the Code of Virginia.