Both are positions of public trust. Right now, there are few safeguards to ensure that trust is upheld. Money and property come up missing or mismanaged. Family members who want to help are discounted. Having a guardian removed is nearly impossible.
Some guardians never bother to see the people they're charged with helping.
The problem isn't new. Dialogue about fixing the system began two years ago, after owners of Wayne County's Guardian Inc. were imprisoned for, among other things, embezzling funds. State Sen. George Hart, D-Dearborn, also has sponsored a bill that would limit guardians' caseloads and require them to visit their wards once a month. Those measures should be implemented. The state should also follow Arizona's lead and require some form of certification.