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Rethinking Guardianship LRAs Planning Hub

– Are you interested in learning ways to support your choice and self-determination?

– Would you like to support someone else make their own choices and decisions?

– Has someone recommended guardianship or are you currently under guardianship?

– Would you like to seek restoration of your rights?

 

If you answered YES to any of these questions, this website is for you! It will help you understand ways to get support or to support another individual to maximize choice and self-determination.

In this website you will find:
  1. Less Restrictive Alternatives (LRAs) Resource Guides that can help you with making decisions, communicating your choices, and planning and performing various activities;
  2. Questions to help you identify areas where you might need support with making decisions, communicating your choices, and planning and performing various activities;
  3. Definitions of key terms; and,
  4. Information about adult guardianship and North Carolina’s guardianship law.
In North Carolina, you must consider less restricted alternatives (LRA) first, and explain to the court why those alternatives were not sufficient before filing for guardianship. This Planning Hub is designed to help you identify less restrictive alternatives (LRAs) that can support you, or the individual you are concerned about, to manage affairs and make and communicate important decisions. Because it is created for self-advocates, it refers to “you” (the self-advocate). However, it may also be useful for family members and professionals.
The Hub is organized around six areas of life that involve managing affairs and making and communicating decisions. For each area, you can learn about LRAs that can help support your autonomy and self-determination. It is important to note that this Website is not a complete list of all LRAs; other options may exist. This Website can help you develop a plan to try using LRAs before seeking guardianship. Also, remember that guardianship can be limited to just those areas that truly require a substitute decision-maker. A limited guardianship can be tailored to your or the individual’s needs, targeting just those areas in which support is needed.
Consider reviewing the NC Guardianship Capacity Questionnaire to identify where to begin.
It may be helpful to explore these tools together with somebody who knows you well.