Z-0649.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1905

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Edmonds, Campbell, Cody, Thomas and Kenney; by request of Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development

Read first time 02/10/1999.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Changing volunteer long-term care ombudsman provisions.

    AN ACT Relating to volunteer participation in the long-term care ombudsman program; and amending RCW 43.190.060.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.190.060 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 18 s 33 are each amended to read as follows:

    A long-term care ombudsman shall:

    (1) Identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents of long-term care facilities relating to ((administrative)) action, inaction, or decisions, which may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of these individuals;

    (2) Monitor the development and implementation of federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and policies with respect to long-term care facilities in this state;

    (3) Provide information as appropriate to public agencies regarding the problems of individuals residing in long-term care facilities; and

    (4) Provide for training volunteers and promoting the development of citizen organizations to participate in the ombudsman program.  A trained volunteer long-term care ombudsman ((shall be able to identify and resolve problems regarding the care of residents in long-term care facilities and to assist such residents in the assertion of their civil and human rights.  However, volunteers shall not be used for complaint investigations but may engage in fact-finding activities to determine whether a formal complaint should be submitted to the department)) may identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents of long-term care facilities relating to action, inaction, or decisions, which may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of these individuals.

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