Iowa Code Title VI. Human Services [Chs. 216-255A] § 231E.2. Office of public guardian--findings and intent

1. a. The general assembly finds that many adults in this state are unable to meet essential requirements to maintain their physical health or to manage essential aspects of their financial resources and are in need of guardianship, conservatorship, or representative payee services. However, a willing and responsible person may not be available to serve as a private guardian, conservator, or representative payee or the adult may not have adequate income or resources to compensate a private guardian, conservator, or representative payee.

b. The general assembly further finds that a process should exist to assist individuals in finding alternatives to guardianship, conservatorship, or representative payee services and less intrusive means of assistance before an individual's independence or rights are limited.

2. a. It is, therefore, the intent of the general assembly to establish a state office of public guardian and authorize the establishment of local offices of public guardian to provide public guardianship services to adults, when no private guardian, conservator, or representative payee is available.

b. It is also the intent of the general assembly that the state office of public guardian provide assistance to both public and private guardians, conservators, and representative payees throughout the state in securing necessary services for their wards and clients, and to assist guardians, conservators, representative payees, wards, clients, courts, and attorneys in the orderly and expeditious handling of guardianship, conservatorship, and representative payee proceedings.