S7211

The New York State Senate passed legislation to reform the long-term-care ombudsman program, a key accountability mechanism for nursing home and long-term care residents. Senate Print 7211, sponsored by Sen. Cleare, passed on a 61-0 vote. The bill makes three significant improvements to the program: it requires the state long-term-care ombudsman to receive consistent status reports on issue resolution from the Department of Health until complete resolution is achieved; it directs the ombudsman program to incorporate cultural competency and diversity training into certification and continuing education programs for ombudsmen; and it expands volunteer recruitment efforts, supported by nearly $5 million allocated in the state budget. Sen. Cleare characterized the ombudsman program as "one of the most important layers of accountability, transparency and safety" for vulnerable populations in long-term care settings and noted that the program requires thousands of additional volunteers to meet demand.