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Get Involved -- Section One: Volunteer
UPCOMING TRAINING IN SPRING 2008:King
County Long Term Care Ombudsman Program 4-Day
Certification Training will be held: April 25th & 26th and May 2nd & 3rd, 2008 We need great volunteers who are
dedicated to advocating for the rights of residents in long-term care. We provide excellent training, and ongoing
education & support to our visiting ombudsmen! Are you interested in advocating for
elders or others residing in long term care? Would you consider telling your
friends, neighbors and co-workers (or anyone you think would make a great
ombudsman) about our program? If you, or someone you know, may be interested in
this specialized volunteer opportunity, just let us know so we can send them information, or have them
contact us. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Mary Fogh, can be
reached by email at maryf@solid-ground.org, or you can contact her
directly by phone at (206) 694-6703.
The
Washington State Ombudsman Program has been organized to utilize highly trained
community volunteers to supplement the work of a small staff. The State of Washington authorizes the State
Long Term Care Ombudsman, Louise Ryan, to delegate her authority (to advocate
on behalf of LTC residents) to visiting ombudsmen who are willing to undergo
certification training, and work under the principles and guidelines set by the
LTC Ombudsman Program. Currently,
there are over 500 Certified LTC Ombudsmen in Washington State, 70+ of which
are active in King County. More
Ombudsmen are needed to advocate for residents and their families, as the
number of people residing in long term care increases. You can
contact any of the 14 Regional Ombudsman Programs
throughout the state of Washington to find out about the training and volunteer
service opportunities they offer. And did
you know…? The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is a organized
nation-wide effort with programs in many states, mandated to provide effective advocacy and support to
residents in a variety of long term care settings. How to Become a Certified
LTC Ombudsman:
1. What is a
Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman and why are they needed? A Long-Term
Care Ombudsman, staff or volunteer, is a person trained, certified, and
authorized by the Washington State Ombudsman Program to advocate for residents
who reside in long term care facilities.
Ombudsmen
are needed to assist residents and their families in achieving the highest
level of quality of life and quality of care, which is a right guaranteed to
residents by law. 2. What does an ombudsman do? A LTC
Ombudsman provides residents with easy access to a personal, on-site advocate
who is mandated to work only on behalf of residents. In Washington State, a LTC
Ombudsman:
The following is a: WAC 365-18-080 Trained
and Certified Volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsmen shall, in accordance with
policies and procedures established by the state office, and under the
supervision of the Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman, have the following
duties: 1.
Inform
residents, their representatives and others about their rights, and offer and
provide services to protect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of
residents; 2.
Represent
the interests of residents before government agencies and seek administrative,
legal, and other remedies to protect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of
residents; 3.
Visit
residents in their assigned facility(ies) on a regular basis, with provision
made by facilities and ombudsmen to secure privacy for the purpose of the
ombudsman carrying out his or her duties;
4.
According
to program policy, identify, investigate and resolve complaints that: Relate
to actions, inactions, or decisions, that may adversely affect the health,
safety, welfare, or rights of residents; a.
Are
made by:
i.
A
resident, a resident's relatives, friends, or associates;
ii.
Providers,
or representatives of providers, of long-term care or health care services;
iii.
Public
agencies;
iv.
Health
and social service agencies; or
v.
Guardians,
representative payees, holders of powers of attorney, or other resident
representatives; 5.
Review,
and if necessary, comment on any existing and proposed laws, regulations, and
other governmental policies and actions, that pertain to the rights and
well-being of residents; and facilitate the ability of the public to comment on
the laws, regulations, policies, and actions; 6.
Promote
development of resident councils, family councils, and citizen advocacy groups;
and 7.
Carry
out other activities that the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman determines to be
appropriate. 3. How can I become a Certified Long-Term Care
(LTC) Ombudsman? You must
meet the requirements for becoming an Ombudsman and successfully complete 30
hours of training. Potential volunteers
may be asked to attend an orientation meeting, complete the application
process, participate in a formal interview, and must meet conflict of interest
criteria. A criminal background check
is also required. To maintain certification, volunteers are provided with periodic
and ongoing training & education opportunities. 4. How can I get more information? There are 14
Regional Ombudsman Programs in Washington State and local training is
provided. To receive more information
about the LTC Ombudsman Program in your area, use the list below to contact the
Program that serves your County. Click Here for a List of Ombudsmen in Washington State Here are other ways to support and advocate for
people residing in long term care settings: Volunteer for
Aging-Related Programs and Events
Individuals
are needed to serve on the State Long-Term Care (LTC) Advisory Board and the
Advisory Committees that support the 14 Regional LTC Ombudsman Programs
throughout the State. Also, be on the lookout for announcements that ask for
citizens to serve on Advisory Boards to programs that serve elders. Be willing to lend your knowledge,
experience, and time. You don’t have to
be an expert and your support & involvement is what these organizations
need most! _________________________________________ updated 4/15/08
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