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Deputy public fiduciary outlines guardianship and conservatorship duties, court process and limits of county support
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Summary
Deputy Public Fiduciary Amanda Riley told the board the office is guardian/conservator of last resort, explained referral and court processes, emphasized annual reporting and noted the office’s current census of about 60 wards; she said county funds are not available to cover wards’ basic costs.
Amanda Riley, deputy public fiduciary for Cochise County, gave the Board of Health a detailed overview of the Public Fiduciary Office’s responsibilities, how referrals are handled and the narrow circumstances under which the office acts as guardian or conservator of last resort.
"My name is Amanda Riley. I'm deputy public fiduciary here in Cochise County," she said, then reviewed referral sources (adult protective services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, physicians, law enforcement, courts and family members), the order of priority the court follows when appointing a guardian or conservator, and the alternatives the office explores before pursuing guardianship, such as representative payees or powers of attorney.
Riley emphasized that guardianship is highly restrictive and used only when less-restrictive options are unavailable. She explained that the public fiduciary’s office conducts investigations, works with investigators, physicians and attorneys during court proceedings, and files annual reports. She also said the office’s current census is about 60 wards and that fees for services are filed with the superior court and paid into the Cochise County general fund; county funds are not available to support wards’ housing or medical care.
Board members asked about staffing and licensure requirements; Riley described licensure testing and continuing education requirements for fiduciary administrators and noted recent staff departures. She also described conservatorship duties (managing assets, inventories and court approval for real‑estate sales) and stressed the office’s role as a last resort.
Next steps: staff will continue to report caseload and staffing changes to the board and to coordinate outreach about alternatives to guardianship when appropriate.
