New York Mental Hygiene Law Section 81.31 - Annual report.

81.31 Annual report.

(a) Filing of annual report. Every guardian shall file a report annually in the month of May, or at any other time upon motion or order of the court.

(b) The report shall be in a form prescribed by the court and shall include the following information:

1. the present address and telephone number of the guardian.

2. the present address, and telephone number of the incapacitated person; if the place of residence of the incapacitated person is not his or her personal home, the name, address, and telephone number of the facility or place at which the person resides and the name of the chief executive officer of the facility or person otherwise responsible for the person's care.

3. any major changes in the physical or mental condition of the incapacitated person and any substantial change in medication.

4. the date that the incapacitated person was last examined or otherwise seen by a physician and the purpose of that visit.

5. a statement by a physician, psychologist, nurse clinician, or social worker, or other person that has evaluated or examined the incapacitated person within the three months prior to the filing of the report regarding an evaluation of the incapacitated person's condition and the current functional level of the incapacitated person.

6. to the extent the guardian is charged with providing for the personal needs of the incapacitated person:

(i) a statement of whether the current residential setting is best suited to the current needs of the incapacitated person;

(ii) a resume of any professional medical treatment given to the ward in the preceding year;

(iii) the plan for medical, dental, and mental health treatment, and related services in the coming year;

(iv) information concerning the social condition of the incapacitated person, including: the social and personal services currently utilized by the incapacitated person; the social skills of the incapacitated person; and the social needs of the incapacitated person.

7. to the extent the guardian is charged with property management, information required by the provisions of the surrogate's court procedure act prescribing the form of papers to be filed upon the annual accounting of a general guardian of an infant's property.

8. where the guardian has used or employed the services of the incapacitated person or where moneys have been earned by or received on behalf of such incapacitated person an accounting of any moneys earned or derived from such services.

9. a resume of any other activities performed by the guardian on behalf of the incapacitated person.

10. facts indicating the need to terminate the appointment of the guardian, or for any alteration in the powers of the guardian and what specific authority is requested or what specific authority of the guardian will be affected.

11. any other information which the guardian may be required to file by the order of appointment.

(c) The guardian shall send a copy of the annual report to the incapacitated person by mail unless the court orders otherwise pursuant to paragraph seven of subdivision (b) and paragraph nine of subdivision (c) of section 81.15 of this article, shall send a copy of the annual report to the court examiner, and shall file a copy of the annual report as provided herein. If the incapacitated person resides in a facility, the guardian shall send a duplicate of such report to the chief executive officer of that facility. If the incapacitated person resides in a mental hygiene facility, the guardian shall send a duplicate of such report to the mental hygiene legal service of the judicial department in which the residence is located. If mental hygiene legal service was appointed as court evaluator or as counsel for the incapacitated person at the time of the guardianship proceeding, the guardian shall send a duplicate of such report to the mental hygiene legal service of the judicial department where venue of the guardianship proceeding was located if so ordered by the court.

(d) The report shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the court which appointed the guardian.

(e) If the annual report sets forth any reasons for a change in the powers authorized by the court, the guardian shall make an application within ten days of the filing of the report on notice to the persons entitled to such notice in accordance with paragraph three of subdivision (c) of section 81.16 of this article for such relief. If the annual report sets forth any reasons for a change in the powers authorized by the court, and the guardian fails to act in accordance with this subdivision, any person entitled to commence a proceeding under this article may petition the court for a change in such powers on notice to the guardian and the persons entitled to such notice in accordance with paragraph three of subdivision (c) of section 81.16 of this article for such relief.


Last modified: February 3, 2019