§ 62A-3-203. Creation of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program -- Responsibilities.

(1)

(a) There is created within the division the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program for the purpose of promoting, advocating, and ensuring the adequacy of care received, and the quality of life experienced by elderly residents of long-term care facilities within the state.

(b) Subject to the rules made under Section 62A-3-106.5, the ombudsman is responsible for:

(i) receiving and resolving complaints relating to elderly residents of long-term care facilities;

(ii) conducting investigations of any act, practice, policy, or procedure of any long-term care facility or government agency which it has reason to believe affects or may affect the health, safety, welfare, or civil and human rights of any elderly resident of a long-term care facility;

(iii) coordinating the department's services for elderly residents of long-term care facilities to ensure that those services are made available to eligible elderly 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.

(b) The division is responsible for providing the posters, which shall include the names and phone numbers for local ombudsman programs.

Amended by Chapter 31, 2006 General Session