Understanding Guardianship, How to Avoid it and Restore Justice
Misty Dion and Kimberly Tissot
Session Overview:
This session will be a panel discussion with members of Liberators 4 Justice and will include the following content:
- Why being knowledgeable about guardianship and how it affects us is important to CILs.
- Understanding the Guardianship Laws in your state.
- Discussing the pipelines to overused guardianship youth/education and APS to institutions. This includes conflicts of interests AOA-Guardian, APS & Omsbuds.
- Knowing what types of organizations you should partner with to mitigate, divert & restore the rights of individuals at risk of, and under unnecessarily restrictive guardianship.
- How you gather momentum for addressing this issue.
- Identifying the best strategies to influence policy.
Additional Materials for This Session:
About Your Presenters:
Misty Dion (she/her)
Misty Dion is the proud CEO of the Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living (RTFCIL) of North Central PA with over 17 years of experience advancing disability rights and justice on a local, state and national level. Under Misty's leadership, RTFCIL has become a nationally recognized CIL for its relentless opposition to guardianship, successful transition services and most recently, as the first CIL to provide emergency relocation services through FEMA.
Misty received her first Associate Degree in Human Services from Alfred State College of Technology in NY and later graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA earning another Associates and a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania College of Technology, an affiliate of Penn State University. Among her affiliations, Misty is an active Member of ADAPT, serves on the Advisory Board for the Mid Atlantic ADA Center, serves on NCIL subcommittees, is a PA SILC Board Member and the President of the Pennsylvania Council on Independent Living.
Kimberly Tissot (she/her)
Kimberly Tissot proudly serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Able SC where she guides the staff in applying the philosophy of independent living to real situations. Kimberly believes in the value of individualized and community-based empowerment as she wants people to recognize their full potential. Under Kimberly’s leadership, Able SC has experienced years of growth, success and has become a nationally recognized Center for Independent Living. Kimberly’s road to disability rights began at an early age, after having her leg amputated from a rare childhood cancer, Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Kimberly began deciding her style of mobility, becoming the first soccer player with a disability in her town, and speaking up anytime she was treated differently. Kimberly has over 20 years of experience advocating for disability inclusion on a local, state, and federal level, and also internationally!
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in human development from Boston University, Wheelock College of Education, and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. In 2017, Kimberly led the efforts in the passing of progressive legislation in South Carolina, “Persons with Disabilities Right to Parent Act” and in 2018, and in 2022, ending subminimum wage in South Carolina. Kimberly mentors other Centers for Independent Living across the nation due to her marked success in the field. She also serves as an executive director mentor to other South Carolina nonprofit organizations via the state’s nonprofit association. In addition to Kimberly’s role at Able SC, she has successfully held multiple state-appointed responsibilities and serves on various state and national committees. Kimberly was also the mastermind behind several statewide initiatives that have led to major systems change in South Carolina. Those efforts include SC’s first statewide youth transition conference, Advocacy Day for Access and Independence, SC Disability Employment Coalition, SC Disability Partners in Disasters to name a few.
Kimberly’s special interests include parenting with a disability, ADA/Civil Rights, engaging in early youth transition, universal design, developing new disability rights leaders, legislative disability rights advocacy, and advancing disability employment and awareness. When Kimberly isn’t at Able SC, she is making precious memories with her husband and son!