Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

Existing law, as part of the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act, establishes the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, under the direction of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, in the California Department of Aging. Existing law provides for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program under which funds are allocated to local ombudsman programs to assist elderly persons in long-term health care facilities and residential care facilities by, among other things, investigating and seeking to resolve complaints against these facilities. This bill would, among other things, require the office to submit an annual advocacy report to the Legislature and others in accordance with specified provisions of federal law, would require the office to perform specified duties relating to protecting the health, safety, welfare, and rights of residents in long-term care facilities, and would require the office to maintain an Internet Web presence, as prescribed. This bill would also make conforming changes and technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.