The ombudsman advocates for an individual resident's care, rights and discharge concerns and cannot license, inspect or fine a facility. The Ohio Department of Health investigates regulatory complaints and can take licensing enforcement action, but is not an advocate for a specific resident's preferences.
How this actually works
Using one does not preclude using the other, and families sometimes need both at once. If your concern is about how a specific resident is being treated, or a discharge decision you disagree with, the ombudsman is the right first call. If your concern is about whether a facility is meeting state licensing standards more broadly -- staffing shortfalls, unsafe conditions, systemic issues -- that's a matter for the Ohio Department of Health's regulatory complaint process. And if you suspect actual abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an adult, that's a matter for county Adult Protective Services specifically, not either of the above.
Related questions
- What does Ohio's Long-Term Care Ombudsman actually do?
- Which office is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for the Cincinnati area?
- Can the ombudsman act on my behalf if my parent doesn't want a complaint pursued?
- Is there a fee to use the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program?
- Does the ombudsman handle in-home care complaints, or only facility residents?
