Strengthen Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Gale Adcock and 7 co-sponsors

NC SB 362 funds the Long-Term Care Ombudsman with $1,000,000/year (recurring) for 2025–27, adds 9 regional FTEs, and requires a statutory improvements study to guide reforms.

Passed 1st Reading

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Purpose

The bill provides recurring state funding and directs a statutory review to strengthen North Carolina’s Long‑Term Care Ombudsman Program (Office of the State Long‑Term Care Ombudsman). Its goals are to increase ombudsman staffing to meet national program standards, support program operations, and study statutory changes to improve the ombudsman system and the volunteer infrastructure that supports it.

Key provisions

Appropriation (recurring): $1,000,000 per fiscal year for the 2025–2027 biennium, allocated as follows:

Operational expenses: $145,000 (FY 2025–26) and $106,750 (FY 2026–27) for equipment, supplies, transportation, and other program operational costs.
Staffing: $855,000 (FY 2025–26) and $893,250 (FY 2026–27) to fund nine additional full‑time Regional Ombudsman positions.

Staffing details: The nine new full‑time Regional Ombudsman positions are to be assigned to Regional Ombudsman Programs within Area Agencies on Aging that the Office of the State Long‑Term Care Ombudsman identifies as most in need.

Study and report requirement: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Aging, in collaboration with the Office of the Long‑Term Care Ombudsman, Regional Ombudsman offices, and stakeholders, must:

Conduct a study on statutory changes needed to improve the Long‑Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Community Advisory Committee volunteer system that supports it.
Submit recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and to the Fiscal Research Division.

Who is affected

Directly: DHHS – Division of Aging; Office of the State Long‑Term Care Ombudsman; Area Agencies on Aging and regional ombudsman staff (new FTEs).

Indirectly: residents of nursing homes, assisted living and other long‑term care facilities; family members; program volunteers (Community Advisory Committees); state budget (recurring appropriation).

Expected impact

Increased ombudsman capacity to handle complaints, investigations, residents’ advocacy, and outreach—moving toward national program standards.

Operational funding to support travel, equipment, and supplies necessary for regional work.

A legislatively informed set of recommended statutory changes to improve program effectiveness and volunteer support systems.

Fiscal impact: $1,000,000 recurring annually added to the State budget for the specified biennium purposes.

Implementation / Timing

Funding and the study take effect July 1, 2025.

The Office of the State Long‑Term Care Ombudsman determines placement of the nine positions based on need. The study’s timeline is not specified in the bill text; recommendations must be submitted to the named legislative bodies (Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on HHS and Fiscal Research Division) following completion of the collaborative study.

Bill