The Life Management Services® division at PACT, Inc. has worked since 1981 to advise and assist families, trust officers, attorneys and other professionals in meeting the current and future needs of individuals with disabilities in Northeastern Illinois.
We accomplish this by offering advocacy (case management), guardian of person and/or estate, trustee or personal budgeting assistant services.
We work with individuals of all ages with disabilities, families, trust officers, attorneys, and other professionals to see that appropriate supports are present to ensure maximum independence with freedom from exploitation.
Advocacy
The advocacy role (case management), in situations where court appointed guardianship is unnecessary, is a critical role that PACT can play in the life of an individual needing support. Effective advocacy assists individuals in maintaining their independence while remaining linked to care options available to them. The quality of the advocacy relationship is built on the personal interaction between the Life Management Services® case coordinator and the individual they are serving. An advocate serves as an informed source of communication with families and providers of support services. We can act as a second set of eyes for family members not living nearby. The advocate can also assist in reviewing the effectiveness of established services and supports.
Guardianship
As guardian, we help to ensure personal and financial well-being when a disability affects an individual’s ability to make or communicate decisions. Recognizing the need for guardianship is often difficult for individuals and families so when called on to act in this capacity we strive to help maintain the dignity of the individual needing a guardian. When required, PACT is able to provide informed consent for individuals as guardian. PACT, under the supervision of the court, will make substitute decisions on behalf of the individual if necessary, and also communicate with family, providers, and the individual served.
Trusteeship
PACT also serves as trustee for individuals. Whether it is an OBRA 93 Trust or a Special Needs Trust, we are experienced in managing the multiple responsibilities that are associated with these types of trusts. Working with our financial institution or yours, we can ensure that money is used to meet the needs of individuals in a cost-effective and responsible manner. We are also capable of working with established trustees when a bank, trust company, or family trustee find social service decisions beyond their ability and means to effectively implement. As an independent organization, our focus is on the beneficiary of the trust.
Why choose Life Management Services® from PACT, Inc.?
- With experience since 1981 working in the northeastern Illinois area, we are one of the oldest private not–for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations to provide this service.
- A trained, social service professional is assigned as your service coordinator to provide personalized service.
- You get a team working for you at Life Management Services®. Staff with background in mental health, developmental disabilities, geriatric care, home services, state services and government benefits work together to provide the comprehensive knowledge needed to achieve the best outcomes for your family member.
- As a corporation, we are overseen by an independent, volunteer board of directors that monitors the operations of the organization and assures the integrity of our services.
- We are fully accreditated by CARF in Community Service Coordination.
What We Can Do To Help You:
- Assist with budgeting
- Provide unbiased consultation in selecting home health care providers
- Provide oversight of in-home care and costs
- Assist the family in locating and choosing appropriate residential and other services for the individual
- Help prevent exploitation of personal assets and resources
- Work to select appropriate financial services
- Advocate for individual needs and rights
- Coordinate eligibility for and receipt of governmental benefits
- Manage bill paying, including reviewing for accuracy
- Manage household activities, including property maintenance
- Act as Social Security representative payee
- Act as power of attorney for healthcare and property
- Serve as executor of estate
- Evaluate treatment and support plans
- Work with attorneys and financial planners in establishment of trusts
- Arrange for all necessary tax filings
- Provide written reports of our work with individuals to appropriate parties
- Develop and provide regular financial and activity accountings to the court in guardianship and court-supervised trust cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge for an inital meeting?
Do you use your own attorneys?
Can I still be involved in my family member’s life after you are appointed guardian or trustee?
I live near Rockford IL, can you work with me?
How do you invest the money in the trusts you oversee?
What kind of reports do you provide?
What if I want to terminate services?
Do you have a brochure I can download?
What if I have more questions?
Do you charge for an inital meeting?
There is no charge for the initial call and intake meeting up to two hours of time. After that, our standard charge applies for meetings, court appearances, etc.
Do you use your own attorneys?
We can work with your attorney or if you don’t have one we will provide a list of attorneys experienced in issues of trusteeship and guardianship that will help to prepare all necessary legal documents and handle court appearances.
Can I still be involved in my family member’s life after you are appointed guardian or trustee?
Yes, although we will have the legal responsibility for specific guardian and trustee decisions we welcome your involvement in your family member’s life. We will be glad to consult with you and have you as part of the team in ensuring the best possible service is given to the person with a disability.
I live near Rockford IL, can you work with me?
Yes, our regular service area includes all of northeastern Illinois. We are also able to work with persons in other parts of the country depending on the scope of the work.
How do you invest the money in the trusts you oversee?
We take our role in money management very seriously. Since we are not professional financial managers, this task is delegated to a variety of experienced professionals. Our Investment Policy will provide you with more detail .
Our offices are open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. We also maintain a 24 hour answering service for afterhours calls and emergencies by calling 630-960-9700.
What kind of reports do you provide?
There are a number of reports that we produce. For the courts we present an annual accounting of the estate and report of person. These will always be provided to interested family members. As trustee we are more that happy to send out reports detailing our activities and financial work to anyone indicated in the trust. When working as advocate we produce monthly reports detailing the scope of our work.
Please click here to see our fee schedule.
That will depend on a number of factors. The terms of your service agreement will specify how often we see someone. As guardian of person we will visit as often as is necessary to ensure the well-being of the individual we are serving. When serving as trustee we do not usually make many visits to the beneficiary but are always available for calls when expenditures are needed. If an expenditure seems questionable we will not hesitate to make any visit needed to verify the need.
What if I want to terminate services?
If you have signed a service agreement with us you can terminate services at any time with only 30 days notice. When serving as guardian or trustee we must follow the requirements of the law in terminating services.
Do you have a brochure I can download?
Yes, click here.
What if I have more questions?
Please email us at lms@pactinc.net