An Act Regarding the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §5107-A,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 596, Pt. B, §9 and affected by §25, is further amended by adding after the 2nd paragraph a new paragraph to read:

In addition, the ombudsman may act as a resource during the hospital discharge process to assist patients with complex medical needs who experience significant barriers to admission in a residential care facility, as defined in section 7852, subsection 14, licensed according to section 7801; nursing facility licensed according to section 1817; or assisted living facility or program licensed pursuant to chapter 1663 or 1664 and provide assistance to facilities subsequent to the placement of patients with complex medical needs.

Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)

Office of Aging and Disability Services Central Office 0140

Initiative: Provides funds to contract for 2 additional positions in the long-term care ombudsman program to assist patients with complex medical needs with overcoming barriers to admission in a residential care facility, nursing facility or assisted living facility or program and provide services to facilities subsequent to placement of patients with complex medical needs.

GENERAL FUND	2015-16	2016-17
All Other	$0	$150,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$150,000

SUMMARY

This bill, which is a recommendation of the Commission To Study Difficult-to-place Patients, amends the law governing the long-term care ombudsman program to clarify that the long-term care ombudsman has the authority to act as a resource during the hospital discharge process to assist patients with complex medical needs who experience significant barriers to admission in a residential care facility, nursing facility or assisted living facility or program. It also provides funds to allow the program to contract for 2 new full-time positions within the program.