Jacy Fisher & Legal Planning for Mental Health: What Parents & Caregivers Should Know

Caregivers · Legal Planning & Mental Health


Jacy Fisher & Legal Planning for Mental Health: What Parents & Caregivers Should Know



Hosts: Kelly Poelker & Delisa Richardson  | 
Guest: Jacy Fisher, Esq.  | 
Category: Parents, Caregivers & Legal Basics






What happens when mental health, family life, and the legal system collide? In this powerful conversation, attorney and Judge Advocate Jacy Fisher joins Kelly and Delisa to unpack what parents and caregivers need to know about guardianship, involuntary commitment, power of attorney, long-term planning, and more.



Whether you’re raising a teen, supporting an adult child, or caring for a loved one with serious mental illness, this episode offers clarity, language, and options you may not have heard before.






What You’ll Learn




• Why legal decisions around mental health are really about protection, not punishment.


• What rights parents have when seeking mental health care or hospitalization for a minor — and where those rights hit real-world limits.


• How things change legally when a child becomes an adult, and why planning before age 18 (or 19 in some states) matters.


• The basics of adult guardianship and conservatorship — and when courts are most likely to grant them.


• Less-restrictive alternatives like powers of attorney and supported decision-making agreements.


• What an involuntary commitment really is, how the process works, and what rights the person in crisis has.


• How tools like special needs trusts, supplemental needs trusts, and ABLE accounts can protect benefits while still supporting quality of life.


• Practical ideas for starting hard conversations about legal planning with teens and young adults.



Guest Spotlight: Jacy Fisher



Jacy Fisher is an attorney and Judge Advocate (JAG) in the Alabama Air National Guard whose work bridges family law, criminal defense, estate planning, and advocacy for vulnerable individuals and families. With a background in psychology and a J.D. from Southern Illinois University School of Law, she brings both legal expertise and deep compassion to the families she serves.



In her civilian practice, Jacy handles heirs’ property and real estate litigation, family law, criminal defense, estate planning, and probate — and has earned a reputation as a passionate advocate for heirs’ property landowners and people navigating complex systems with limited support.



Jacy is also a sought-after speaker and educator, training communities and fellow attorneys on topics like guardianship, special needs planning, estate planning, and laws affecting servicemembers and their families. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: the law should protect people, not leave them behind.


Key Quotes



“The goal of guardianship and commitment isn’t punishment — it’s protection. We’re trying to keep someone safe when they can’t safely do that for themselves.”




“Parents often feel powerless, especially when a child turns 18. Planning ahead doesn’t take away your child’s autonomy — it can actually preserve it in a safer, more thoughtful way.”




“You don’t leave assets directly to a loved one with a disability if that will cost them their benefits. Tools like special needs trusts exist so they can still have a life with joy, travel, and dignity.”




“If we can talk about it, we can manage it. Legal planning around mental health is hard — but pretending we’ll never need it doesn’t protect anyone.”



Resources & Next Steps




• Learn more about Glow For Hope resources (http://GlowForHopeNFP.org/resources)


• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Information (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org)


• International crisis support directory (findahelpline.com) (https://findahelpline.com)


• Curious about guardianship, POA, or trusts? Consider reaching out to a local attorney in your state who focuses on estate planning, disability law, or elder law.


• Use this episode as a starting point to talk with your family about:



• Who you’d trust to make decisions if you couldn’t.


• What “safety” looks like in a crisis.


• How you can support one another before things reach an emergency.





 Next Episode



Join us next time as we continue to spark honest conversations around mental health, bringing you real stories, practical tools, and supportive voices to help you feel less alone—whether you’re the one struggling or the one holding space.


Support the Show



Your support helps keep these conversations going. Together, we can amplify voices, spark change, and bring hope to those who need it most.




Donate (https://glowfo...