SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5606
As of February 12, 2025
Title: An act relating to providing sufficient funding for the Washington state long-term care ombuds program.
Brief Description: Providing sufficient funding for the Washington state long-term care ombuds program.
Sponsors: Senators Bateman, Hasegawa and Nobles.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long-Term Care: 2/14/25.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires the Long-Term Care Ombuds Program to develop a funding recommendation that provides the program adequate and appropriate funding for the program to fulfill its' statutory obligations.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE
Staff: Julie Tran (786-7283)
Background:

The Washington State Long-Term Care Ombuds Program (LTC Ombuds Program) is a statewide, independent program that advocates solely on behalf of the individuals who live in licensed long-term care (LTC) settings.

 

LTC Ombuds Program advocates for residents of nursing homes, adult family homes, and assisted living facilities. Its purpose is to protect and promote the resident rights guaranteed to residents under federal and state law and regulations. Program staff and certified volunteers are trained to receive complaints and resolve problems in situations involving quality of care, use of restraints, transfer and discharge, abuse, and other aspects of resident dignity and rights.

 

In 2020, the Legislature appropriated funds to direct the Department of Commerce to make recommendations on a sustainable, transparent, and reactive funding model for the operation of the LTC Ombuds Program and to publish a report by December 2020. The report found that LTC Ombuds Program is able to resolve an average of 92 percent of complaints received by the program when LTC Ombuds Program operates on 58 percent of the recommended staffing level.

 

The report made two recommendations to the Legislature: 

  • increase state funding to fully meet Institute of Medicine guidelines as the increased funding will allow LTC Ombuds Program to adequately serve all residents in long-term care; and
  • extend and expand the working group to identify alternative funding mechanisms.
Summary of Bill:

The bill as referred to committee not considered.
Summary of Bill (Proposed Substitute):

LTC Ombuds Program, in partnership with the Department of Commerce and in consultation with the Office of Financial Management, must develop a funding recommendation that provides adequate and appropriate funding for LTC Ombuds Program to fulfill the program's statutory obligations.

 

The funding recommendations must:

  • provide sufficient funding to achieve the ratio in alignment with the most recent recommendation by the Institute of Medicine;
  • account for the growth in licensed LTC beds, as forecast by the caseload forecast council;
  • account for any inflationary factors present in the consumer price index; and
  • account for any Department of Commerce's administrative needs.

 

The Department of Commerce must submit the funding recommendations for consideration to the Office of Financial Management, the Senate Ways and Means Committee chair, and the House Appropriations Committee chair by June 1, 2026, and each subsequent June 1st in the even-numbered years.
Summary of Bill (Proposed Substitute):

The bill as referred to committee not considered.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 27, 2025.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.