Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
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Protecting the Rights and Promoting the Well-Being of Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
The Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman are advocates for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. They work to resolve problems of individual residents and to bring about changes at the local, state, and national levels that will improve residents' care and quality of life.
Ombudsman can be volunteers or paid employees that are independent of any conflict of interest with a long-term care facility. Services are free and confidential.
What does the word "Ombudsman" mean?The term ombudsman (om-budz-man) is Scandinavian in origin. In the United States, it has come to mean "advocate".
Find Your Ombudsman
Ombudsmen for Assisted Living and Nursing Home Residents
(An Ombudsman is an independent advocate who provides information and works to resolve problems that the resident would like addressed. All conversations are confidential unless permission is given to use a person’s name.)
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Anne Arundel County 410-222-4257 | Dorchester County 410-742-0505, ext. 104
| Queen Anne’s County 410-758-0848
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Baltimore City 410-396-3144 | Frederick County 301-600-2877
| Somerset County 410-742-0505, ext. 104
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Baltimore County 410-887-4200 | Garrett County 301-334-9431 ext. 6140
| St. Mary’s County 301-475-4200 ext. 71055
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Calvert County 410-535-4606, ext. 143 | Harford County 410-638-3025
| Talbot County 410-778-6000
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Caroline County 410-778-6000 | Howard County 410-313-6423
| Washington County 301-790-0275
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Carroll County 410-386-3810 | Kent County 410-778-6000
| Wicomico County 410-742-0505, ext. 104
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Cecil County 410-996-8429 | Montgomery County 240-777-3369
| Worcester County 410-742-0505, ext. 104
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Additional Resources
What does the word "Ombudsman" mean?
The term ombudsman (om-budz-man) is Scandinavian in origin. In the United States, it has come to mean "advocate".
History of the Ombudsman Program
Begun in 1972 as a demonstration program, the Ombudsman Program today exists in all states, the District of Columba, Puerto Rico, and Guam, under the authorization of the Older Americans Act. Each sate has an Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, headed by a full-time state ombudsman. Thousands of local ombudsman staff and volunteers work in hundreds of communities throughout the country as part of the statewide ombudsman programs, assisting residents and their families and providing a voice for those unable to speak for themselves.
The statewide programs are federally funded under Titles III and VII of the Act and other federal, state, and local sources. The AoA-funded National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, operated by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (or, Consumer Voice), in conjunction with the National Association of States Agencies on Aging United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), provides training and technical assistance to state and local ombudsman.
Our Mission
The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Maryland) seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities (nursing homes and assisted livings). The State Office certifies and trains community ombudsman who work to resolve concerns of long-term care facility residents statewide. We emphasize residents' wishes in assisting to resolve problems.
Our Philosophy
"Our Philosophy" and "The SLTCOP" is a resident-centered advocacy program. The resident is the client, regardless of the source of the complaint or request for service. A long-term care ombudsman (LTCO) will make every reasonable effort to assist, represent, and intervene on behalf of the resident. LTCO work is resident focused and consent driven. When the work is related to a specific resident or residents, the resident, or resident representative when applicable, must give consent to LTCO action.
- Education to inform residents, families, facility staff and others on a variety of issues related to aging, long-term care, and resident's rights.
- Information and referral to empower individuals to resolve concerns and complaints on their own behalf.
- Consultation to make recommendations for protecting the rights of residents and improving their care and quality of life.
- Individual advocacy to facilitate the resolution of concerns and complaints and to protect the rights of residents.
- Systems advocacy to identify significant concerns and problematic trends and to advocate for systemic changes that will benefit current and future residents of long-term care facilities.
Anyone can contact the LTC Ombudsman Program to discuss or seek assistance in resolving a problem, concern, or complaint impacting one or more residents of a long-term care facility. This includes residents, friends, family members, facility staff, and others. As the resident advocate, however, the LTC Ombudsman always seeks to resolve the concern to the satisfaction of the resident.
Contact your local Ombudsman Office by clicking here.
Maryland’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program consists of the State Office and 19 Local LTC Ombudsman Programs, which are located at Area Agencies on Aging and serve specific regions. Trained Ombudsmen pay regular visits to long-term care facilities within their region to spend time with residents, monitor conditions, investigate complaints, and protect residents’ rights.
If you are interested in volunteering, please review the below forms:
