Form 1 National Stakeholders Interview

OMB. No. 0985-00XX

XX/XX/XXXX

Process Evaluation and Special Studies Related to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)

Interview Protocol for National Stakeholders

INTERVIEW INFORMATION

ORGANIZATION:

INTERVIEW DATE:

RESPONDENT:

TITLE:

INTERVIEWER(S):

Interview Topics

1. Strategic Partnerships

2. Program Context

3. Program Resources and Activities

4. Program Quality Assurance

Introduction/Purpose of the Study

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview today.

My name is _________ and I’m a researcher from __________. I’m here today because the Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging (ACL/AoA) has contracted with NORC at the University of Chicago (NORC) to conduct a national evaluation of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP). The aim of the evaluation is to study the LTCOP’s structure and operations, use of resources to carry out legislative mandates, the nature of partnerships, and processes for sharing information on program practices.

As part of this evaluation, we are conducting interviews with the program’s national stakeholders that will cover topics including the LTCOP’s strategic partnerships, program context, program resources and activities, and program quality assurance activities. These interviews will provide important information on the implementation of the LTCOP and enable ACL/AoA to better understand how the program is implemented at the national, state and local levels. We will use what we learn from these interviews to provide ACL/AoA with practical and policy‑relevant insight into LTCOP services and processes.

Informed Consent Statement [Interviewer must read this.]

Before beginning the interview, I (we) want to thank you for agreeing to participate in this study and emphasize that your participation is voluntary. You may refuse to respond to any question that you do not wish to answer. The interview should take about 45 - 60 minutes and is not part of an audit or a compliance review. We are interested in learning about your ideas, experiences, and opinions about the LTCOP’s implementation.

In addition, I want to let you know that although we will take notes during this interview, information is never repeated with the name of the respondent in any reports or in any discussions with supervisors, colleagues, or ACL/AoA. When we write the report and discuss our findings, information from all the people we speak with is compiled and presented so that no individual can be identified.

To help me accurately report on the information you share, it would be helpful if I could tape record this interview. I can also turn off the recorder at any point if you want me to. I do not have the recorder on now; is it okay with you for me to turn it on?

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Do I have your permission to begin the interview?

1. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

We’d like to begin by asking a few questions about you and your organization’s relationship to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP).

1. What is your current role (within your organization)?

2. What are your organization’s responsibilities in relation to the LTCOP at the national, state, and local levels?

3. What is your role in relation to the LTCOP? How much of your time do you spend on work related to the LTCOP?

4. What are the benefits of this relationship?

5. Have you experienced any challenges with this relationship? For example, are there challenges coordinating across organizations?

6. How can inter-organizational relationships be enhanced to improve LTCO program effectiveness and efficiency?

7. Are there other relationships the LTCOP needs to increase its effectiveness?

8. In general, is the LTCOP an active and effective participant in coalitions related to long-term supports and services (e.g., when changes in LTSS-related law, regulation or policy are needed)?

2. program context

Next, we’d like to understand the context in which the LTCOP operates.

1. What Federal and state laws, policies and regulations affect the long-term care environment in which the ombudsman program operates? For example, have changes in Medicare, Medicaid, or home and community-based services impacted the program?

2. To what extent does the newly authorized Older Americans Act provide sufficient guidance and authority to the LTCOP at the Federal and state levels?

3. How will implementation of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Final Rule affect programs (positively or negatively)?

4. Do any of the laws, policies or regulations that you mentioned affect the design and implementation of the ombudsman program?

5. Are there any trends or changes in the long-term care landscape that affect ombudsman program operations? For example, these changes may relate to nursing home and assisted living industry trends, changes in long-term care delivery and financing such as managed care, or demographic changes at the national level.

6. Is the LTCOP preparing sufficiently to meet these challenges? If so, what is the most effective action the program has taken? If not, what should they be doing differently?

3. PROGRAM RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES

Next, we’d like to discuss your perceptions of the effectiveness of the LTCOP as well as the program’s resources, activities, strengths, and challenges.

1. How would you describe the ombudsman program’s visibility at the national level?

2. Are long-term care consumers (residents and family members) familiar with the ombudsman program?

3. To what extent do existing program resources enable LTCOPs to fulfill their Federal mandates? Are resources sufficient to meet the program’s requirements?

4. What do you see are the most important individual advocacy issues for the ombudsman program to address right now?

5. What do you see are the most important systems advocacy issues for the ombudsman program to address right now?

6. What do you perceive to be the major strengths of the ombudsman program?

7. What are the most significant challenges currently facing the ombudsman program (e.g., staff turnover, accessibility of legal counsel, additional unfunded state mandates, service provision to board and care homes, conflicts of interest with other state agencies (i.e., licensing agencies, APS, program autonomy, etc.)?

4. program QUALITY ASSURANCE

Lastly, we want to understand how the LTCOP ensures that high-quality services are delivered.

1. What is your assessment of the effectiveness of the ombudsman program in advocating for the rights, health, safety and welfare of long-term care residents?

2. What strategies are now or should in the future be used to ensure that the program delivers high-quality services?

3. How can programs best support the volunteers that donate their time and services to the program?

4. How can programs best support the paid staff that work for the program?

5. Is there any topic or issue that you would like us to know about? Please describe the issue(s) and explain why you think it is/they are important.

Thank you for your participation.

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