A. In carrying out the duties of the office, the state ombudsman may designate an entity as a regional or local ombudsman entity, and may designate an employee or volunteer to represent the entity. An individual so designated shall, in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the office and the agency:

(1) provide services to protect the health, safety, welfare and rights of residents;

(2) ensure that residents in the service area of the entity have regular, timely access to representatives of the program and timely responses to complaints and requests for assistance;

(3) identify, investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents that relate to action, inaction or decisions that may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare or rights of the residents;

(4) represent the interests of residents before government agencies and seek administrative, legal and other remedies to protect the health, safety, welfare and rights of the residents;

(5) review and, if necessary, comment on any existing and proposed laws, regulations and other government policies and actions, that pertain to the rights and well-being of residents;

(6) facilitate the ability of the public to comment on the laws, regulations, policies and actions;

(7) support the development of resident and family councils; and

(8) carry out other activities that the ombudsman determines to be appropriate.

B. To be eligible to be designated as regional or local ombudsman entities, and individuals eligible to be designated as representatives of such entities, the entities shall:

(1) have demonstrated capability to carry out the responsibilities of the office;

(2) be free of conflicts of interest;

(3) in the case of the entities, be public or nonprofit private entities; and

(4) meet such additional requirements as the state ombudsman may specify.

History: Laws 1989, ch. 208, § 6; 1997, ch. 257, § 4.

The 1997 amendment, effective July 1, 1997, rewrote the section to such an extent that a detailed comparison would be impracticable.