SB 345 Summary

• Establishes the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Independence and Improvement Act of 2012, requiring the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to submit annual advocacy reports to the Legislature in compliance with federal Older Americans Act requirements beginning September 30, 2013.

• Defines State Ombudsman qualifications requiring a bachelor's degree and minimum five years of professional experience in gerontology/long-term care, legal systems, dispute resolution, and organizational management, with prohibitions on recent employment by or financial interests in long-term care facilities.

• Grants ombudsman representatives unescorted and unhindered access to long-term care facilities at any reasonable time to identify, investigate, and resolve complaints affecting resident health, safety, welfare, and rights.

• Requires the office to maintain an Internet Web presence with current long-term care trends, links to local ombudsman programs, annual advocacy reports, and other consumer-relevant information prominently displayed on the department's homepage.

• Establishes a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week toll-free crisis hotline for reporting emergencies in long-term care facilities, with posting requirements in facility common areas and trained operator responses to direct calls to appropriate local agencies.