[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 151 (Wednesday, November 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S11710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM

  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I would like to engage the distinguished 
Chairman of the Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Labor, 
Health and Human Services, and Education in a brief colloquy on an 
issue that is very important to frail older persons and individuals 
with disabilities who reside in nursing homes and other long-term care 
facilities.
  My colleague should be congratulated for the additional funds that 
his subcommittee has provided in recent years for the Long-Term Care 
Ombudsman Program, under the Older Americans Act. Our colleagues, 
Senator Kohl, and Senator Specter, should also be recognized for their 
support of the ombudsman program. The Labor, Health and Human Services, 
and Education Appropriations bill that you introduced for Fiscal Year 
2003 proposes a much needed $3 million increase to provide more 
ombusdmen to help address the growing quality problems in nursing homes 
and assisted living facilities.
  I would like to discuss with the chairman and my distinguished 
colleague and ranking minority member of the Finance Committee our 
strong support for this program and the National Long-Term Care 
Ombudsman Resource Center that so effectively serves State and local 
ombudsmen across the Nation.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, the distinguished chairman of the Special 
Committee on Aging is correct in describing our efforts to steadily 
increase the capacity of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs. This 
very effective program is available to the 2.8 million residents of 
over 60,000 facilities including licensed assisted living. It makes a 
big difference in the quality of life for residents by resolving their 
complaints 231,889 about resident care and residents' rights, visiting 
facilities on a regular basis, and by advising residents, their 
families, and facility staff. We have also supported funding for the 
very effective Ombudsman Resource Center, which has been housed at the 
National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform since 1993. I 
would like to see an increase for this important Center.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise in support of my two colleagues' 
viewpoints on the value of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and its 
national resource center. The hearings that my colleague from Louisiana 
and I have conducted over the years have provided significant evidence 
that the ombudsman program is critical in protecting the rights of 
older and disabled individuals living in long-term care facilities.
  Training and technical assistance are among the critical variables in 
determining the quality of services that ombudsmen are able to provide. 
Additional funds appropriated for the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman 
Resource Center would be used to increase the capacity of the Center to 
develop and coordinate training systems and other skills-building 
opportunities for State, local and volunteer ombudsmen. The Center has 
an exemplary track record and this will improve program consistency 
among states and enhance program effectiveness.
  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I agree with my colleague. The Center's 
work is critical to millions of residents of long-term care facilities 
and their families. I am hopeful that when we finally pass a fiscal 
year 2003 Labor, HHS, Education appropriations bill that we will 
provide appropriate support for the Center and report language that 
ensures the continued quality training and assistance for omsbudmen 
that has been so ably provided through the Center.
  It is my view that the Center must continue to be housed in an 
independent nonprofit citizens-based organization that has the 
improvement of care in long-term care facilities as its primary 
purpose. Such an organization should include long-term care ombudsmen 
and consumers in its governance and have a minimum of 5 years of 
experience on a national basis of providing long-term care ombudsmen 
with technical assistance, training, and information.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I concur with that assessment. We know 
that there is a growing demand for ombudsman services and too few 
ombudsmen and volunteers to regularly visit all of the nursing homes 
and assisted living facilities. And we know that training and resources 
care essential. The Center provides individualized support to State and 
local ombudsmen on specific, complicated long-term care questions and 
provides training at state and regional conferences. The need to expand 
these supportive services is growing rapidly.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I believe that we must put our energies 
toward ensuring that we protect the rights of nursing home residents 
and help them to resolve problems with the quality of the care that 
they receive. I am committed to working with my colleagues on this goal 
for fiscal year 2003 and beyond. I am also supportive of the notion 
that we need to ensure that the resource center continues to be housed 
in an organization as described by my colleague.
  I thank my colleagues for their support of the work of our 
subcommittee. I look forward to working with my distinguished 
colleagues to ensure that these programs continue to serve older adults 
and disabled individuals.




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