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A resolution recognizing the tenth anniversary of the Metropolitan Office of Conservatorship Management and the office’s work to support those under a conservatorship or guardianship in Davidson County.
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WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council authorized the creation of the Metropolitan Office of Conservatorship Management as part of the State Trial Courts Department through the budget ordinance approved by Substitute Ordinance No. BL2014-774; and
WHEREAS, the office was established after a volunteer task force reviewed the process for guardianships and conservatorships in Davidson County and found that a separate office was needed to support those affected by them; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Conservatorship Management (“OCM”) aims to encourage the responsible, ethical, and appropriate financial management and physical treatment of those under a guardianship or conservatorship in Davidson County; and
WHEREAS, conservatorships are meant to protect the most vulnerable of Nashville and Davidson County, and OCM works to make sure that those residents are receive proper personal care and management of their resources; and
WHEREAS, as a partner with Metro Social Services, OCM operates a Welfare Review Unit that independently investigates the care management provided by a conservator for the health, safety, and welfare of individuals for which the conservator is responsible; and
WHEREAS, OCM also operates a Financial Investigative Unit to investigate the asset management provided by a conservator when that person becomes the conservator of the conservatee’s property; and
WHEREAS, OCM also educates the general public about conservatorships and guardianships and works to identify and refer guardians and conservators to available resources; and
WHEREAS, through its service, OCM has uncovered more than $500,000 in conservatorship funds, located undisclosed properties, helped terminate 52 conservatorships, and identified issues that led to the removal or replacement of 71 conservators; and
WHEREAS, OCM and its Director, Amy Willoughby Bryant, have become a resource across the state of Tennessee by providing a blueprint for similar efforts in other counties during her five years leading the office; and
WHEREAS, Director Bryant is working to create more training, oversight and advocacy for those caring for the elderly and people with a disability as President and Committee Chair for the Conservatorship Association of Tennessee. Additionally, through her role at the OCM, Amy launched the first and only statewide online training for conservators in the state of Tennessee; and
WHEREAS, Director Bryant has worked to develop more accessibility to resources for conservators and those caring for the elderly and disabled by leading the effort to provide forms and resources in Spanish and updating the website as a one stop shop for conservators to meet their needs. The OCM is one of a kind in the state of Tennessee and one of the only in the southeastern United States; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council honor the Office of Conservatorship Management for its 10 years of work to support the most vulnerable in Nashville and Davidson County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as recognizing the tenth anniversary of the Metropolitan Office of Conservatorship Management and its work to encourage the proper treatment of those under conservatorships or guardianships within Davidson County.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.