Hello, my name is Kiara Robbins. I am a disabled person who has topographical disorientation and “high-functioning” autism or the outdated term, “Asperger’s syndrome.” I also have family problems and it is not safe to live in my house without a guardian advocate. Guardian advocacy is another guardianship option that currently exists in Florida, but I have been reworking it to be more suitable to autistic people without intellectual disabilities so that there is federal legislation that is more neurodiverse positive. There are no laws that say “I am disabled, but I am fully capacitated.” There is no guardianship option available to these people. Long-term guardianship advocacy is unique because it is voluntary guardianship that is less powerful than a limited guardianship and an advanced directive but is more powerful than a power of attorney if needed and the autistic person consents. The goal is that the autistic person fills out paperwork and decides what they consent to and what they don't consent to. The guardianship advocacy law is based upon consent unlike other types of guardianship and this a unique option. I would like to see the power be in the hands of the disabled as long as the disabled person does not abuse power and guardianship advocacy for autistic people allows this to happen.

Currently, guardianship advocacy for autistic people doesn't exist as a federal law in the United States and I would like to see this change.