Last week we told you about Casey Kasem and his children’s attempt to gain conservatorship over their father. They were concerned that his health was so poor that he was unable to make his own medical decisions. Ultimately, the court disagreed, but it presented one side of why someone may need a conservator or guardian. The case of Amanda Bynes presents the other — mental health.
Any El Paso fans of Amanda Bynes knows that she has been acting erratically lately. The former child actress has been accused of throwing a bong out of her window, of driving drunk and having marijuana in her possession. She also allegedly started a small fire in someone’s driveway. All of these indicate that Bynes may be dealing with some mental health issues.
So, after a judge ordered her to undergo psychiatric care, her mother was also basically named her conservator. This means that her mother can make important decisions for her daughter while she continues her mental health treatment at a private facility. It also helps protect Bynes and her money from any poor decisions she may make because of her poor mental health.
Although family members hope that their loved ones will never have mental health issues, these kinds of situations happen more often than people think. When they do happen, a family member can file to be an individual’s guardian in Texas court, explaining exactly why it is important that the individual needs help making decisions.
For Bynes’ mother, all the judge had to do was look at her daughter’s very public meltdown.
Source:Los Angeles Times, “Amanda Bynes under mother’s conservatorship, moves to private rehab,” Richard Winton, Sept. 30, 2013
