26B-2-304.  Powers and responsibilities of ombudsman.
     The long-term care ombudsman shall:

(1)  comply with Title VII of the federal Older Americans Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3058 et seq.;

Terms Used In Utah Code 26B-2-304

  • Division: means the Division of Customer Experience. See Utah Code 26B-2-301
  • Long-term care facility: means :
(i) a skilled nursing facility;
(ii) except as provided in Subsection (6)(b), an intermediate care facility;
(iii) a nursing home;
(iv) a small health care facility;
(v) a small health care facility type N; or
(vi) an assisted living facility. See Utah Code 26B-2-301
  • Ombudsman: means the administrator of the long-term care ombudsman program, created pursuant to Section 26B-2-303. See Utah Code 26B-2-301
  • Ombudsman program: means the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. See Utah Code 26B-2-301
  • (2)  establish procedures for and engage in receiving complaints, conducting investigations, reporting findings, issuing findings and recommendations, promoting community contact and involvement with residents of long-term care facilities through the use of volunteers, and publicizing its functions and activities;

    (3)  investigate an administrative act or omission of a long-term care facility or governmental agency if the act or omission relates to the purposes of the ombudsman. The ombudsman may exercise its authority under this subsection without regard to the finality of the administrative act or omission, and it may make findings in order to resolve the subject matter of its investigation;

    (4)  recommend to the division rules that it considers necessary to carry out the purposes of the ombudsman;

    (5)  cooperate and coordinate with governmental entities and voluntary assistance organizations in exercising its powers and responsibilities;

    (6)  request and receive cooperation, assistance, services, and data from any governmental agency, to enable it to properly exercise its powers and responsibilities;

    (7)  establish local ombudsman programs to assist in carrying out the purposes of this part, which shall meet the standards developed by the division, and possess all of the authority and power granted to the ombudsman program under this part; and

    (8)  exercise other powers and responsibilities as reasonably required to carry out the purposes of this part.

    Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 305, 2023 General Session