There are three types of guardianships granted and overseen by the Probate Court: guardianships for minors, guardianships for adults and guardianships for individuals with developmental disabilities.

• Adult guardianships are used when an individual is impaired by mental illness, mental deficiency, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication or other cause so that they lack sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate informed decisions and need someone to make such decisions for them.  Select the link for more details regarding adult guardianship.
  
• Minor guardianships are used to provide legal authority for adults, other than the parents of the minor, to take care of the minor for a short or long time because the parent or parents of the minor are unwilling or unable to safely and adequately care for their child. While a minor guardianship is in place the guardian, and not the parent, has the right and responsibility to make decisions about and care for the minor child.  Select the link for more details regarding minor guardianship.
• Developmentally disabled guardianships are used when an individual who is over five years of age has a severe, chronic condition which meets certain requirements.  A guardianship for a developmentally disabled person should be undertaken only to promote and protect the well-being of the ward and encourage the development of maximum self-reliance for the ward. The guardianship should be limited by the court based on the developmentally disabled individual’s actual mental and adaptive limitations.  Select the link for more details regarding deveopmentally disabled guardianships.