PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – The Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller's Office received some new financial help to fight fraud and abuse of the elderly and adults by unethical court-appointed professional guardians.
Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock was the recipient of the 2015 Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer's disease Caregiving Legacy Award in the public policy category for her innovative guardianship fraud program and hotline. She received the award and $20,000 for her office last week during the Aging in America Conference in Washington, D.C.
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Senior citizens and other adults whom a court determines can no longer care for themselves or handle financial matters can be placed in a court-ordered guardianship.
The award recognized the clerk and comptroller's program to monitor and audit the financial accounting of professional guardians in Palm Beach County.
"Financial fraud is an emerging issue," Bock said.
Now the Clerk and Comptroller's Office hopes to use the money to replicate their financial audit program for use in other court circuits throughout the state of Florida.
The Florida Legislature also passed new reforms this past legislative session giving the state the authority to monitor professional guardians. By establishing the new "Office of Public and Professional Guardians," complaints against guardian abuse can now be investigated.
"The more outlets you have for the public to report financial or physical abuse, the better it's going to be," Bock said.
Earlier this year, Local 10 News shared the story about James Vassallo and his effort to be reinstated as trustee of his father Albert, who he says is in an unwanted guardianship in Palm Beach County.
Vassallo claims the professional guardian, Elizabeth Savitt, and attorneys representing her are draining his father's assets. He worried who would take care of his father and how after his father's money was depleted.
Vassallo is appealing the court order removing him as trustee and making Savitt the sole trustee of Albert Vassallo's estate.
Savitt is the wife of Palm Beach County Judge Martin Colin, who also had served in the Probate division; the same court division Savitt's clients are in.
In February, the chief Judge of Palm Beach County, Judge Jeffrey Colbath, made changes in the Probate division.
One of the changes included moving Judge Colin to the Circuit Civil division. Colin has indicated he does not plan to seek reelection at the end of his term.
In a statement to Local 10 News Colbath wrote:
"The Chief Judge is a proponent of transparency in government and wanted to be proactive in addressing concerns expressed by the media and the public. The move of Judge Colin to Circuit Civil division was one of the initiatives implemented by the court. Other initiatives include the following:
- In-house training for probate Judges and court staff;
- The establishment of a Guardianship Wheel which will provide for random assignment of professional guardians to cases;
- Standardization of bill practices for Guardians and Attorneys; and
- Recusal of the current South County Judges from Ms. Savitt's cases."