5100 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman | LTCO

The policy of the Department of Human Services (DHS) is to improve the lives of residents of long-term care facilities by informally investigating and resolving complaints on behalf of residents, and by advocating for the rights and interests of residents.

O.C.G.A. § 31-8-50 to O.C.G.A. § 31-8-63

Title VII of the Older Americans Act; U.S. Code Title 42, Chapter 35, Section 3058f-h and 45 C.F.R. 1324.1 - 1324.21

The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and designated local entities (in private non-profit corporations) fulfill the requirements of the above-stated DHS policy.

None.

The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman is responsible for oversight of the development and updating of requirements for the program.

The Older Americans Act (OAA) required state agencies on aging to establish and operate Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) programs since 1978. In 1979, Georgia passed its own long-term care ombudsman law, amended in 1995 to reflect 1992 OAA amendments.

The State Ombudsman and staff review performance measures and make site visits to local entities periodically to assess program results and evaluate the outcomes of this directive.