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Every two years since 2010 elder and disability rights advocates from around the world have convened an international conference that is designed to strengthen understanding of the international standards that protect the daily exercise of rights by adults with disabilities and older persons and to enhance their independent living.
Initially called the World Congress on Adult Guardianship, the name of the Congress has changed to the World Congress on Adult Support and Care. This change reflects the reality that much of the world has moved away from guardianship to supported decision making.
The international emphasis on adult capacity and self-autonomy flows from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). Its Article 12 states that persons with disabilities enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life and that appropriate measures should be taken to provide access by persons with disabilities to the support they may require in exercising their legal capacity. Although the United States Senate did not ratify this UN convention, twenty-eight states have now adopted laws that formally endorse supported decision-making agreements or that recognize supported decision-making as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship.
The seventh World Congress on Adult Support and Care was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 27th to 30th, 2024. This was the first time that a World Congress was held in a Latin American country. Prior Congresses have been held in Australia, Germany, Japan, Korea and Scotland, with the United States being the host country in 2014.
This was the largest Congress to date with approximately 600 participants from 32 nations and all continents. The home countries of the participants included Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, Uruguay, and the United States. The United States was represented by then NGA President Shannon Butler, owner of a professional guardianship agency in Minnesota; Elizbeth Moran, executive director of Colorado ARC; Carol Kelly, a guardian from North Carolina; Marshall Herron, a private fiduciary in Tucson; Michael Hagenlock with the National Adult Protective Services Association; Samantha Martin, a New Hampshire guardian; Yolande Erickson and Janet Morris with Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles; and Sally Hurme, Virginia elder law attorney.
Erickson, Morris and Hurme were honored to be among the many speakers—over 200—throughout the marathon four-day event. To squeeze in 32 panels and six plenary sessions, the program started at 9 am and continued to 8 pm, with a one-hour break for lunch.