NMEPC September Meeting - Working with Clients with Diminished Capacity: Practice Considerations

Working with Clients with Diminished Capacity: Practice Considerations with Caitlin Palencia of Disability Rights New Mexico (DRNM).                    

Caitlin Palencia is a Staff Attorney at Disability Rights New Mexico (DRNM), the designated Protection and Advocacy system for our state, which provides legal and advocacy services to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Before joining DRNM in 2023, Caitlin was a Staff Attorney for the NM Office of Guardianship at the Developmental Disabilities Council, and an Assistant District Attorney in the Bernalillo County, where she was assigned to the Competency Court and Behavioral Health Specialty Court. Caitlin’s volunteer experience includes prior service on the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Advisory Council, and on the National Alliance on Mental Illness, New Mexico board. At DRNM, Caitlin does systemic and individual case work in a variety of disability rights matters, with an emphasis on work around probate guardianships, a serious, and prevalent issue for adults with disabilities, including aging adults who may be experiencing diminished capacity. Caitlin’s work in this area focuses on helping individuals understand, identify, and implement less restrictive alternatives to guardianship like setting up advanced directives, use of a power of attorney, and engaging in other future planning to address individuals’ specific needs with their financial, medical, and property matters.