At Project Guardianship, we work every day to ensure that guardianship is used only when absolutely necessary—and always with the strongest possible protections for individual rights and autonomy. We are deeply troubled by the growing pattern of unnecessary and overly broad guardianship appointments that begin with involuntary hospitalization, particularly among people with mental health conditions, disabilities, or those experiencing poverty and housing instability.
This is why we are profoundly disappointed by President Trump’s recent executive order promoting the involuntary institutionalization of people who are unhoused and living with mental health conditions. This policy is not only misguided—it is dangerous. It revives a harmful legacy of forced institutionalization that history has repeatedly shown to be ineffective, inhumane, and deeply discriminatory.
Forcing people into institutions under the pretense of public safety too often paves the way for a loss of rights, including the unnecessary appointment of guardians or conservators who may take control of a person’s financial and personal decision-making. This can occur without sufficient oversight, without proper legal representation, and without seriously exploring less restrictive alternatives like community-based treatment or housing-first strategies.
We know that once guardianship is initiated, it can be extremely difficult for individuals to restore their rights—even when they regain stability or demonstrate the ability to make decisions with support. Institutionalization and guardianship should never be tools of convenience for managing complex social challenges like homelessness or mental illness. They should be measures of last resort, surrounded by rigorous due process and grounded in respect for the rights, dignity, and humanity of the individual.
This executive order represents a step backward, away from the progress made toward more just, compassionate, and effective systems of care. Project Guardianship calls on policymakers, service providers, and advocates across the country to reject this regressive approach and instead invest in solutions that empower individuals—solutions rooted in community support, autonomy, and the protection of civil rights.