Ombudsman

Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas seeks a Regional Ombudsman to assist institutionalized residents in nursing homes and residential care facilities, resolving complaints about care quality, rights, and services. Under the Director of Client Services, you will supervise volunteers and support program development.

The role requires interaction with residents and families, reporting, training volunteers, and coordinating with state agencies. Travel to NW Arkansas facilities is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work, health, gerontology or related field.
• Equivalents acceptable: additional experience in place of education year-for-year.
• Five years of full-time work in aging, long-term care or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Visit residents in facilities to discuss conditions and rights.
• Receive and resolve complaints or refer to regulators as needed.
• Recruit and train volunteers for the Ombudsman Program.
• Inform the public about inspection reports and corrective plans.
• Coordinate councils with residents, families, and friends.
• Maintain records and compile monthly/quarterly/annual reports.

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work or related field

Equivalent combination of education and experience

5 years in aging/long-term care or related fields

Job description

Under the supervision of the Director of Client Services, the regional Ombudsman will assist institutionalized persons to resolve complaints having to do with quality of care, level of care, physical and pharmaceutical services in nursing homes and residential care facilities. Recruits and supervises Volunteer Ombudsman, serves as back-up for Regional Ombudsman-East as needed and assists in the development and implementation of the program.

Areas of special attention include quality of life, physical environment, social needs, activities, patient’s rights, transfer arrangements, personal accounts, legal problems, complaints against other agencies and individuals, financial accounts and administration.

AGENCY EXPECTATION OF EMPLOYEE:

• Adheres to Agency Policy and Procedures
• Acts as a role model within and outside the Agency
• Performs duties as workload necessitates
• Maintains a positive and respectful attitude
• Communicates regularly with supervisor about department issues
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
• Consistently reports to work on time prepared to perform duties of position

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Visit with residents of nursing facilities and residential care facilities and the resident’s family and friends to discuss conditions in the institution and the rights of residents
• Receive and attempt to resolve complaints within the facility, and if unsuccessful in the resolution, refer the complaint to the appropriate regulatory agency
• Recruit and assist with the training of volunteers for the Ombudsman Program
• Advise the public about or arrange for the availability of current federal inspection reports, statements of deficiencies, and plans for corrections for individual long term care facilities in the service area
• Make known the existence and functions of the local Ombudsman program
• Create and assist resident/ family/ friend councils
• Coordinate Volunteer Ombudsman Appreciation Day
• Keep volunteer ombudsman attendance forms, volunteer hours and other required statistics and documentation
• Compile monthly, quarterly and annual reports for the Regional and State Ombudsman
• Sponsor community surveys and/or evaluations of long term care facilities and the publishing of consumer information
• Provide community education and training programs to long-term care facilities, human service workers, families and general public about long term care and resident rights issues
• Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted or changed at any time at the discretion of management, formally or informally, either verbally or in writing

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Working environment is primarily an office or clinical setting, with very frequent travel to Long Term Care Facilities throughout NW Arkansas in all types of weather conditions. The noise level in the usual work environment is moderate.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience, Education and Licensure:

• An undergraduate degree from a four-year college or university with major course work in social work, health, gerontology, general social science, or related field;
• An equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) year of full-time paid employment experience in such areas as community organization, public health, social work, or related field for each year of the required education, with a maximum substitution of two (2) years; or
• The equivalent of five (5) years of full-time work experience with at least three (3) years in aging, long-term care, or related fields (at least one (1) year in a consultative or supervisory capacity is desirable).

Certification Requirements:

The Ombudsman must successfully complete training and an examination to become certified by the DAAS State Ombudsman.

Twenty hours internship in a nursing home participating in the following areas: administration, nursing department, dietary department and social services department.

Training will be provided in a classroom setting and will include:

• Ombudsman Program Overview
• Nursing Home rules and regulations
• Documentation system
• Procedures
• Resident rights
• RCF rules and regulations
• Any other area deemed necessary by the State Ombudsman

At the completion of training, a certification test will be given to potential Ombudsman. A test score of 80% must be attained to be certified.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze and interpret complex federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the Regional Ombudsman Program. Ability to respond to common inquires or questions from customers, state or federal agencies and subordinates/staff. Ability to write and/or understand complicated and detailed financial, professional, legal, business correspondence/proposals and program analysis.

Conflict of Interest

The Regional Ombudsman must be free from any conflict of interest as defined by Ombudsman Program procedures and satisfactorily completed training prescribed by the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, including annual training requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree from a four-year college or university with major course work in social work, health, gerontology, general social science, or related field;
• An equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one (1) year of full-time paid employment experience in such areas as community organization, public health, social work, or related field for each year of the required education, with a maximum substitution of two (2) years; OR
• The equivalent of five (5) years of full-time work experience with at least three (3) years in aging, long-term care, or related fields (at least one (1) year in a consultative or supervisory capacity is desirable).
• Willing to successfully complete training and an examination to become certified by the DAAS State Ombudsman.