HI HB1884

Appropriates general revenues to the Office of the Long-term Care Ombudsman for fiscal year 2016-2017 to establish three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) ombudsman specialist positions.

Assigns one new ombudsman specialist position to each of the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii to provide long-term care ombudsman services on the neighbor islands.

Addresses the reduction of the long-term care ombudsman program to a director-only staff position following the June 2015 executive office on aging reorganization.

Cites the 1995 Institute of Medicine recommendation of one full-time ombudsman for every 2,000 long-term care residents; Hawaii has over 12,000 residents requiring a minimum of six full-time ombudsmen.

Ensures equal access to long-term care ombudsman services for neighbor island residents and families, who currently receive less coverage than Oahu residents.