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Kansas long-term care ombudsman reports outreach, clarifies reporting limits
Summary
Haley Ordoin, Kansas long-term care ombudsman, presented an annual overview of the office's role, staffing and top complaint areas, noting the office is resident-directed and not a mandated reporter; she described plans for public education and dementia-related training requirements.
Haley Ordoin, the Kansas long-term care ombudsman, told the Robert G. (Bob) Bethell Joint Committee that her office focuses on resident-directed advocacy in adult care settings and conducts regular visits, complaint investigations and education for residents, families and staff.
“...we are resident directed advocates,” Ordoin said, explaining the program’s main functions and outreach methods.
Ordoin said the office has a team of about 12 certified ombudsmen and also relies on volunteers, whose numbers dropped during the pandemic and are being rebuilt. She emphasized that ombudsmen are trained to investigate and resolve complaints, attend resident and family councils, and to participate in multidisciplinary teams that may include KDHE, KDADS, law enforcement and other state or community agencies.
The ombudsman described the role as advocacy-centered: staff seek residents’ direction about whether to report alleged abuse or other incidents. “We are not mandated reporters,” Ordoin said, adding that her office maintains confidentiality and follows the resident’s wishes about referral to other agencies. When a resident has a substitute decision maker, staff will work with that person on next steps.
Ordoin also described the office’s role in dementia and Alzheimer’s training. She said the Ombudsman Office already receives Alzheimer’s-related training for initial and annual certification and that staff meet quarterly for in-person training. Ordoin told committee members the office expects to provide internal training tied to recent state legislation; she said the office does not expect to become a widespread outside trainer for provider staff but will make resources available and coordinate with organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association when needed.
Committee members asked for specifics about contact methods, staffing and complaint counts. Ordoin said contact information and regional staff listings are available on the ombudsman website and that she would provide written details the committee requested.
The presentation closed with committee members asking about calls alleging overuse of antipsychotics and other clinical concerns; Ordoin said the office accepts those calls, takes direction from residents, and will collaborate with facility care teams if the resident directs staff to pursue alternatives.
Ordoin presented an annual report slide deck with facility counts, complaint categories and top issues; she said she would provide the committee with the written testimony and data tables referenced during her remarks.
