D.C. Long Term Care Ombudsman

Source: AARP Foundation |  | June 26, 2003

The District of Columbia Office on Aging in 1975 established the Office of the District of Columbia Long Term Care Ombudsman with grant funds from the Administration on Aging. The 1978 amendments to the federal Older Americans Act required each state and the District of Columbia to establish a state level Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.

A 1981 amendment to the Older Americans Act extended the ombudsman program's jurisdiction to board and care homes, called community residence facilities (CRFs) in the District of Columbia. A 1987 amendment to the Older Americans Act elevated the ombudsman from a program to an office, required that adequate legal counsel be available, and granted immunity to ombudsmen for good faith performance of their duties. A 1992 amendment ensured against conflicts of interest and emphasized the role of ombudsman as advocate for change to improve the quality of care and quality of life for residents of long term care facilities.

The ombudsman program is operated by Legal Counsel for the Elderly, an affiliate of AARP, which also provides legal support and access to the vast AARP network for recruitment of volunteer resident advocates.

Passage of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Act of 1988. D.C. Law 7-218, D.C. Code Ann. § 7-701.01 et seq., strengthened the program by providing the ombudsman with the tools necessary to carry out the responsibilities mandated by the federal Older Americans Act. The District law also reinforced the ombudsman's emphasis on advocating for and protecting the rights of residents of nursing facilities, assisted living residences, and CRFs.

The Office of the D.C. Long Term Care Ombudsman is charged by the D.C. statute with the following responsibilities:

1. advocate for the rights of olders persons and other persons who are residents of nursing facilities, assisted living residences, and community residence facilities;
2. investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of an older person or other person who is a resident of a nursing facility, assisted living facility, or a community residence facility;
3. monitor the quality of care, services provided, and quality of life experienced by older persons and residents in long term care facilities to ensure that the care and services are in accordance with applicable District and federal laws;
4. establish and conduct a training program for program staff and volunteers;
5. establish and maintain procedures to protect the confidentiality of information regarding residents.

These responsibilities parallel those in the federal Older Americans Act, which also governs operation of ombudsman activities.

The Office of the D.C. Long Term Care Ombudsman was ranked as one of the two best ombudsman programs in the nation by the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Confidential Assistance

For free confidential help: (callers may remain anonymous) Long Term Care Ombudsmen listen to concerns about issues such as: abuse, neglect, discrimination, retaliation, restraint use, residents' rights and appeals, and work with facility staff members and resident to resolve them. Call the Long Term Care Ombudsman at (202)434-2120, TDD: (202)434-6562, email DCOmbuds@aarp.org.

Testimony Submitted by D.C. Long Term Care Ombudsman:

• To the Committee of the Whole, Budget Hearing on July 24, 2009
• To the Committee on Workforce Development and Government Operations, Budget Hearing for the D.C. Office on Aging, April 2007
• To the Committee on Health Services, Health Regulations Administration Budget Hearing, April 2007
• To the Committee on Human Services, Budget Hearing of the Department of Human Services, April 2007
• To the Committee on Health Services,Department of Health, Medical Assistance Administration and Health Regulations Administration, Performance Oversight Hearing, February 2007
• To the Committee on Health Services, Department of Mental Health, Oversight Hearing, February 2007
• Department of Health Care Finance Budget Hearing 2008
• Department of Mental Health Budget Hearing 2008 
• Testimony Submitted to the Committee on Health - April 2009
• Testimony Submitted to the Committee on Health - Feburary 2009
• Testimony Submitted to the Committee on Health 2008
• Testimony Submitted to the Committee on Aging 2008
• Testimony Submitted to the Committee on Aging and Community Affairs - March 2009

Long term care complaints pertaining to unlicensed and licensed nursing homes, community residential facilities, and assisted living facilities can be made by residents, family and friends, concerned citizens, ombudsmen, and the general public.

Donations

Part of the Senior Service Network – Supported by the DC Office on Aging.

Our services are made available to you through funding from the U.S. Office on Aging, the District of Columbia Office on Aging, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, and contributions from other organizations and individuals. Your financial contributions will make it possible for us to continue to provide high quality advocacy and legal assistance to long term care residents and older persons in the District of Columbia. While there is no fee for our services, we do accept donations. Any contribution you make will be used to maintain and expand our services to older adults.

All donations are tax-deductible and checks should be made payable to Legal Counsel for the Elderly and mailed to our main office at 601 E Street, N.W. Building A – 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20049. Please note on your check that the donation is for the "DCLTCOP" (D.C. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program).

Learn more about the D.C. Long Term Care Ombudsman Program by downloading their annual reports, Broken Promises reports, and current activities.

Annual Reports

• Long Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2008 (PDF)
• Long Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2007 (PDF)
• Long Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2006 (PDF)

Program Documents

• A View from the Inside - Conversations with Residents Living in the Grant Park Care Center in Washington, D.C. 2008
• Overview and Educational White Paper of Assisted Living Facilities in the District of Columbia - 2007 
• Broken Promises II: An Assessment of the District of Columbia’s Initiatives to Improve Quality of Care in Nursing Facilities, 2003-2005
• Broken Promises: An Interim Assessment of the District of Columbia’s Initiatives to Improve Quality of Care in Nursing Facilities, 2002-2003