Questions Hover Over Popular Ombudsman Program

But at a recent Senate Health Committee hearing, when it came time for people to enter their support into the record, the line of advocates went far past the usual half-dozen — it stretched all the way to the back of the chamber, where a knot of people waited to join the queue.

They were all there to state their support for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

There are 35 local ombudsman programs in California, with about 1,200 volunteers visiting approximately 9,300 senior housing sites, nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the state. The program is run by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, a state agency within the Department of Aging.