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What You Can Do
The complaint process
Any person may make a complaint against any nursing home to the licensing and certification branch of a state health department and request that the nursing home be inspected to substantiate the complaint. The complaint may be made orally or in writing. Once a complaint is received, the state agency assigns an inspector to make a preliminary review of the complaint. The complainant is normally notified of the name of the inspector and proposed course of action. An onsite visit to the nursing home to investigate the complaint can take place as early as ten working days from receipt of the complaint. By law, there should be no advance notification made to the nursing home of the investigation.
When conducting an investigation of the complaint, the inspector will collect and evaluate all available evidence based on the observed conditions, statements of witnesses and a review of facility records. As a result of the investigation, the inspector determines whether the complaint is substantiated or unsubstantiated. If the complaint is substantiated, a citation may be issued against the nursing home. The complainant is notified of the determination in writing.
If the complainant is dissatisfied with the determination, he or she may request an informal hearing that is held with the state agency and may include a representative of the nursing home. If the complainant is not satisfied with the results of that hearing, he or she may appeal it to a higher level for review. This review process is usually done by an appeals unit and the complainant is notified of the results in writing.
Click on the links to the right for more information on specific actions you can take to stop nursing home abuse and neglect.
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What You Can Do