The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center provides support, technical assistance and training to the 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs and their statewide networks of over 500 local Ombudsman entities. The Center's objectives are to enhance the skills, knowledge, and management capacity of the State programs to enable them to handle residents' complaints and represent resident interests in both individual and systems advocacy. Funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the Center is operated by Consumer Voice, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, in cooperation with the AD-vancing States.
All tasks undertaken by the Center are designed and developed with input from Ombudsman programs, the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (NASOP), the National Association of Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen (NALLTCO), and other relevant organizations to ensure that the needs of ombudsman programs across the country are being addressed. These tasks are developed with the understanding that in supporting Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, the Center is ultimately contributing to the improvement of the quality of life and care of frail, vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities. The Center engages in the following activities and services:
Provides consultation, information, and referral for Ombudsman programs and for the residents, families and others who use ombudsman services
Provides training opportunities and training resources for Om-budsman programs
Promotes public awareness of the role of the Ombudsman pro-grams in long-term care
Works to improve Ombudsman program effectiveness in meeting the needs of residents, including those served by managed care organizations and those in alternative settings, such as Medicaid waiver programs
Identifies research needs and promotes research on issues which affect the ombudsman programs or their constituents Supports the ombudsman volunteer component through work with AARP and other national or state-wide efforts to recruit volunteers for the program
Works cooperatively with all organizations and agencies which have as their mission the protection of the frail elderly who reside in long-term care settings
Promotes understanding and cooperation between ombudsman programs and citizen advocacy groups.National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center