You may be able to add the child to your health plan if you are named the child's guardian. A guardianship is established only after legal documents are filed, a necessary investigation is conducted, and the court appoints a guardian. You may wish to retain an attorney or seek the assistance of Legal Aid offices or legal clinics in your community that provide services, or you may file the documents and proceed on your own. There are published guides to the procedures available in bookstores and the local law library. If the parent or parents do not consent to the establishment of the guardianship, the assistance of an attorney may be important.
Some counties require the use of local forms in addition to the state forms.
Petitions for the appointment of a guardian are usually filed in the clerk's office in the county in which the child is residing. The clerk cannot give legal advice or assist in completing the forms, but the staff members can provide information about procedures. Any interested party, or the child, if 12 years or older, may file the petition for appointment of a guardian. There is a fee for filing the petition. In addition, you may be charged a fee for a guardianship investigation.