State and Local Ombudsman Program Examples

This page provides an index of long-term care Ombudsman program materials and is organized by category. If you have a resource from your program that you would like to share, please email ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org.

Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in Long-Term Care Facilities

Connecticut

Voices Speak Out Against Retaliation

Michigan

Michigan Elder Justice Initiative Newsletters

Oklahoma

Combating Financial Exploitation (October 2013)

Esther Houser, Oklahoma State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, PowerPoint Presentation
Lisa Schifferle, Federal Trade Commission's Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, PowerPoint Presentation

North Carolina

Advocacy for Victims of Abuse: How to Engage Law Enforcement and Support Residents (October 2013)

Kathy Lanier, North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services, PowerPoint Presentation
Kathleen Quinn, National Adult Protective Services Association, PowerPoint Presentation

Maryland

Two local TV shows discussed elder abuse in response to their task force’s 2013 WEAAD Event (World Elder Abuse Awareness Day).

Maine

Speak Up!- resources for healthcare professionals detailing mandatory reporting requirements as they relate to nursing homes in the state of Maine.

Texas

Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in Long-Term Care Facilities brochure

Antipsychotic Drugs

Washington

For You to the Resident: Know Your Legal Rights About Medications Mailer

Texas

Educational Brochure on Improper Diagnosis in a Nursing Home

California

Toxic Medicine: What You Should Know to Fight the Misuse of Psychoactive Drugs in California Nursing Homes

Assisted Living Facilities

Connecticut

Residential Care Home Toolkit (2017)

District of Columbia

White Paper on Assisted Living (2007)

Nebraska

PPT Training for Ombudsman on Assisted Living

Texas

Protecting Resident Rights: Ombudsmen in Assisted Living Facilities

Oregon

Guidance for Successful Resident Transitions in Oregon Assisted Living and Residential Care Communities

Washington

Assisted Living Consumer Expectations Checklist

Adult Family Home Specialty Training - developed by the Washington State LTCOP

Bankruptcy Law

California

New York

New York Bankruptcy Guide for Ombudsmen

North Carolina

North Carolina Bankruptcy Monitoring Plan (2010)
North Carolina Bankruptcy Ombudsman Authorization Notice (2010)
North Carolina Notice of Ombudsman Report (2010)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State LTC Ombudsman Office -Bankruptcy Cases: State Office and Local Ombudsmen Roles & Responsibilities (2009)
First Trinity Report - Sample of a First Report

Texas

Sixty Day Report AAA Format Outline - Given to each Local Ombudsman Program in Texas for details needed each 60 days
Conifer Care Second Report - Sample of a Second Report, to demonstrate the "update" status and certain details that were cut from a First Report
Show Case Document - The latest "Show Case" Order that removes the burden of providing notice to each resident before reports are filed
Motion in Aid of Appt - The argument for the "Show Case" Order, as it was made by the Texas Attorney General's Office
Texas - Objection to Debtor's Motion to Waive Appointment of Patient Care Ombudsman

Culture Change/Person-Centered Care

Texas

Person-Centered Care Video Series and Teaching Guide

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Initial Certification Training Manual: Module 10- Resident-Directed Care and Module 11- Systems Advocacy

Disabilities

Colorado

Video Series on People with Disabilities' Experience with the Healthcare System

Emergency Preparedness

Louisiana

The Big Uneasy: Katrina’s Unsung Heroes video and facilitator’s guide

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Facility Emergency Action Plan

Supplement to the Emergency Action Plan for Long-Term Care Facilities,

Michigan

Note from the Michigan State LTC Ombudsman describing how they aided Hurricane Katrina victims

Ohio

Advice from a local ombudsman describing how they got financial assistance to place residents' personal effects lost in a flood

Facility Closures

California

Guide to Facility Closures for Long-Term Care Ombudsman Coordinators in California

Overview of the Facility Closure Process for LTC Ombudsman

Facility Closure- Resident Transfer Checklist (Word)

Michigan

Best Practices for Voluntary Nursing Facility Closure

Florida

Facility Closure Checklist (2008)

Kentucky

Successful Transitions: A Resident's Guide When a Nursing Home Closes

Family and Resident Councils

Alaska

Alaska Resident Council Staff Manual

Video: Introduction to Resident Councils

Video: How to Lead a Resident Council Meeting

Connecticut

Contact information
The CT LTCOP reported on the progress of the CT Statewide Coalition of Presidents of Resident Councils Executive Board. The State Ombudsman supports and facilitates the work of the Executive Board through regular meetings and conference calls, financial support to attend meetings in some instances and assistance with meetings with legislators and policy makers. (2011)

District of Columbia

Contact information
The DC LTCOP organized and hosted the first annual Leadership Conference for presidents of resident and family councils at a local nursing home, and organized a forum for social workers of long-term care facilities addressing issues with the return of residents to their homes via home and community-based services. (2011)

Florida

Resident Council Handbook

Illinois

Fact Sheet: Resident Councils in Nursing Homes

Resident Council Tool Kit for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

Resident Council Self-Evaluation

Resident Council Tool Kit for Staff Liaison

Minnesota

Minnesota Statutes on Resident and Family Advisory Council Education

Texas

Resident Council Toolkit: For residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities by the Texas Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman

Guardianship

Connecticut

Connecticut Standards of Practice for Conservators

Connecticut Website on Conservators

Delaware

Contact information
The SLTCO, by invitation of the MFP Administrator, met with some staff of the state-owned facilities to review the guardianship and surrogacy processes and established a task force to review how staff decide who had capacity, guardians, decision makers, and what criteria were used in making the decisions. They also reviewed and updated admission and operational policies. A training session for staff was conducted immediately. (2011)

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Guardianship Statute - Private Access to Ombudsman

LBGTQ+ Elders

California

Cultural Competency and Sensitivity related to serving LGBTQ+ Elders – Training

Kentucky

Presentation on LGBTQ+ Aging & Maltreatment Concerns (2021)

Ohio

Tipsheet on Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Long-Term Care

Washington

Washington Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Logo for Pride Month (2022)

MDS 3.0

Nebraska

Nebraska MDS 3.0 Facility Staff Presentation - The Ombudsman Program: How it Interfaces with MDS 3.0 Section Q

Nebraska MDS 3.0 Resident Council Presentation - Understanding Changes in the Survey Process

North Carolina

North Carolina MDS 3.0 Referral Response Toolkit

Mental Health/Mental Illness

Illinois

LTCOP Response When Residents Threaten Suicide (2018)

Residents' Rights

Arkansas

Residents' Rights Brochure (Spanish Version)

District of Columbia

Maryland

The State of Maryland Proclamation from the Governor Designating October 2020 as Residents' Rights Month

The Howard County, Maryland Ombudsman program created a short video highlighting residents' rights.

New Jersey

Protect Yourself from Questionable Nursing Home Financial Practices flyer

North Dakota

SB 2113 Authorized Electronic Monitoring

Electronic Monitoring Documentation

Roommate Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information Authorized Electronic Monitoring Device

Resident Rights on Electronic Monitoring

Oregon

Thinking Outside the Box (of Wine): Alcohol Use in Long-Term Care Facilities (August 2013)

Pennsylvania

Residents' Rights Training Video

Residents' Rights Scenario Example Video 1

Residents' Rights Scenario Example Video 2

Residents' Rights Scenario Example Video 3

Residents' Rights Scenario Example Video 4

South Dakota

Assisted Living Community Resident Rights

Residents' Rights Booklet

Residents' Rights Poster

Assisted Living Residents' Rights Poster

Nursing Home Residents' Rights Poster

Delaware

Delaware You Have Rights Brochure

Delaware You Have Rights Brochure (Spanish)

Hawaii

Hawaii Resident Council Brochure

Washington

Residents' Rights Door hanger

Texas

Your Financial Rights in a Medicaid Certified Nursing Home (August 2016)

Your Financial Rights in a Medicaid Certified Nursing Home Spanish version

Wyoming

Wyoming Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Residents' Rights Placemats

Sexuality and Intimacy in Long-Term Care Facilities

Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Related to Resident Sexual Activity

Investigative Guidelines: Resident Intimacy and Sexual Behavior

Iowa

Sexual Expression Policy Development: A Guide for Long-Term Care Facilities and Assisted Living Programs (December 2016)

Capacity to Consent to Sexual Expression in Long-Term Care (2016)

Sexual Expression in Long-Term Care

Sexuality and Aging Fact Sheet (2015)

Texas

Sexual Expression in Long-Term Care – An Advocate’s Guide

Wisconsin

Sexuality and Intimacy in LTC Facilities - Powerpoint and accompanying handout

Transfer/Discharge

Tennessee

Tennessee Fact Sheet on How to File an Appeal to Dispute an Involuntary Discharge from a Nursing Home

Tennessee Fact Sheet on Nursing Home Resident's Rights During Involuntary Discharge

Involuntary Discharge Procedures and FAQ’s webinar and slides.

Texas

Designation of a Long-Term Care Ombudsman as Representative and Request to Appeal a Nursing Facility Discharge

Minnesota

Let Me Return Home Toolkit (November 2016)
This toolkit shows how the program has approached the systemic problem of residents not being allowed to return to their skilled nursing facility (SNF) following a transfer to a hospital. This work was in response to an increase in calls from hospital discharge planners.

Let Me Return Home Curriculum PowerPoint
Quick Reference Guides for Hospital Discharge Planners - version one and version two.
Appendix B – Copy of applicable regulation and guidance to surveyor from the SOMs
Appendix C – Copy of the DHS bulletin on bed hold and leave days.
Appendix D – Sample bed hold notice
Appendix g.1 – Template to appeal an involuntary discharge
Appendix H – Consumer Fact Sheet
Appendix 11 – Summary of ombudsman services
Appendix I2 – Fact sheet about resident rights in nursing homes.
Appendix J – Brochure for ombudsmen about Mental Illness
Appendix K – Outline of training goals and objectives (to send to people deciding if this training meets their needs)
Appendix L – Let Me Return Home evaluation form
Letter to Administrator
Physician Certification
Operations Manual
Minnesota Statute