National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs Publishes Standards of Practice

NASOP, the nonprofit organization for state Long-Term Care Ombudsmen, has published aspirational standards reflecting its best practices. While LTC Ombuds have a different mandate than Organizational Ombuds, the format and content of the NASOP Standards of Practice reflect the common origins of the professions.

The NASOP Standards of Practice address, among other things:

• Establishment and reporting lines;
• Access to individuals and information;
• Publicizing services;
• Confidentiality and disclosure;
• Protection of case materials;
• Exception to mandatory reporting requirements;
• Training and certification;
• Conflict of interest;
• Access to legal counsel; and
• Annual reporting.

All of these have analogs in the IOA Standards of Practices.  As with IOA, NASOP’s goal in developing these standards is to raise the quality of the LTC Ombuds work nationwide and to serve as a resource for Ombuds as they advance their own programs. (NASOP Standards of Practice.)

Related post: Resources Online and Beyond for the Aspiring Ombuds.