Executive Summary
Demand for Long-Term Care Ombudsmen services in the Central Pines region continues to grow, while federal and state funding has failed to keep pace. Since 2013, the number of licensed long-term care beds in our region has increased by nearly 900, yet current state and federal funding supports only three of the five Ombudsman positions on the Central Pines staff —well below nationally recognized staffing standards. County governments in the Central Pines region have voluntarily filled this gap for more than a decade, but this approach is not sustainable.
To address this issue, a strategy within CPRC’s new Strategic Plan is to prioritize aging program funding consideration through regular strategic discussions with county leaders, intensify state and federal advocacy for increased Ombudsman funding, and evaluate limited interim options — including regional funding strategies — while reinforcing that this gap is ultimately a state and federal responsibility.
