April 1, 2014

Bob Joondeph of Disability Rights Oregon has informed us about openings on Oregon’s Long-Term Care Advisory Committee. He writes:

“To help oversee the expansion of the Ombudsman’s duties to mental health community facilities, there will be two appointments of folks with mental health backgrounds to the Ombudsman’s advisory committee.  I hope folks from the CSX community will consider serving.

“There are a total of four openings on the Long-Term Care Advisory Committee for appointments by the governor — two for people with developmental disability/mental health backgrounds, and two with public guardianship/conservator backgrounds and/or related expertise — to join the existing committee. These are required by legislation as the Office of the LTC Ombudsman expands into advocacy for DD/MH group homes (per SB 626 passed last session) and houses the new Public Guardian/Conservator program per SB 1533, passed in February.”

The Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman  is an independent state agency that serves long-term care facility residents through complaint investigation, resolution and advocacy for improvement in resident care; the Long-Term Care Advisory Committee monitors the program.

According to the LTCO website:

Oregon’s citizens living in nursing facilities, residential care facilities, assisted living facilities and adult foster care homes deserve quality care. They should enjoy freedom from abuse and neglect and the freedom to make choices about their care. The mission of the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is to enhance the quality of life, improve the level of care, protect the individual’s rights and promote the dignity of each Oregon citizen residing in a long-term care facility.

The role of the Long-Term Care Advisory Committee is to:

1.  Monitor the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

2.  Advise the Governor and the Legislative Assembly on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

3.  Nominate, after interviews and according to prescribed criteria, three persons to fill the office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

Interested? Complete the Executives Appointment Interest Form, available as a fillable PDF here:  http://www.oregon.gov/gov/Interest%20Form/Interest%20Form.pdf