Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program -- Responsibilities

(1) (a) There is created within the division the ombudsman program for the purpose of promoting, advocating, and ensuring the adequacy of care received and the quality of life experienced by residents of long-term care facilities within the state. (b) Subject to the rules made under Section 26B-6-110, the ombudsman is responsible for: (i) receiving and resolving complaints relating to residents of long-term care facilities; (ii) conducting investigations of any act, practice, policy, or procedure of a long-term care facility or government agency that the ombudsman has reason to believe affects or may affect the health, safety, welfare, or civil and human rights of a resident of a long-term care facility; (iii) coordinating the department's services for residents of long-term care facilities to ensure that those services are made available to eligible citizens of the state; and (iv) providing training regarding the delivery and regulation of long-term care to public agencies, local ombudsman program volunteers, and operators and employees of long-term care facilities. (2) (a) A long-term care facility shall display an ombudsman program information poster in a location that is readily visible to all residents, visitors, and staff members. (b) The division is responsible for providing the posters, which shall include phone numbers for local ombudsman programs.