Office of Independent Living Community Ombudsman

This bill changes the Code of Virginia by adding a section.

• Code of Virginia: Collection of all the laws and rules in the state of Virginia. It organizes these laws by topic, like education, transportation, or health, so people can easily find and understand the rules that affect them. It’s like the official rulebook for how things are done in Virginia.

• This new section is about setting up a support position in the Office of the Independent Living Community within the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

  • Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services: A state agency that helps older adults, people with disabilities, and their families live more independently and improve their quality of life. The department provides services like job training, assistive technology, support for caregivers, and resources for staying active and safe in the community. They also oversee programs to protect the rights and well-being of people in long-term care, such as nursing homes.

• The Office is meant to take in, log, and respond to any concerns about independent living communities.

  • Independent living communities: Housing  for older adults or disabled people who can live on their own but want a safe, supportive environment. These communities often offer convenient services like meal plans, housekeeping, and social activities, while allowing residents to stay independent.

• If this bill passes, the office will have a complaint line set up for these concerns.

• This bill says the office needs handle complaints in a certain way:

  • Offer complaint counseling to help folks work through their issues.

  • Collect specific info from those who can't get their complaints sorted out.

  • Look into complaints that are detailed about professionals providing care in independent living communities

  • Start investigations within two days after a complaint comes in.

  • Send complaints about regulatory problems and claims of dangerous behavior to the right agency.

  • Make quick referrals to adult protective services when it involves dangerous behavior.

    • Adult Protective Services: A program that helps protect adults who are older or disabled and may be getting hurt by another person. This office looks into concerns, provides support, and connects people with resources to keep them safe.

  • Pass complaints on to the right agencies within three days.

  • Finishes looking into bad behavior within 45 days.

  • Make sure no one gets punished for bringing up complaints.

• This bill makes the office keep complainants' and service recipients’ identities totally private.

• The office can share info about who made a complaint with agencies involved in looking into the dangerous behavior, but that’s up to the person in the new support role.