The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program handles advocacy and complaint resolution for residents already living in a licensed facility, such as a nursing home, assisted living residence, adult home, or family-type home, addressing issues like care quality concerns, rights violations, or disputes with facility staff. Adult Protective Services (APS), by contrast, investigates suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of impaired adults living in the community, including those who depend on others for basic needs, and is administered through the county Department of Social Services rather than the Office for the Aging.
How this actually works
The line between these two systems isn't always obvious to a family in crisis, and knowing which one applies can save time. If your parent already lives in a Nassau or Suffolk facility and the issue is about the quality of care they're receiving, a violation of their rights as a resident, or a dispute you can't resolve with facility management, the Ombudsman program, Elizabeth Maxim in Suffolk or Mary Clare Campion in Nassau, is the right first call. If instead you suspect actual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of a parent living independently in the community, or even within a facility, Adult Protective Services is the investigative body, reachable at 516-227-8395 in Nassau or 631-854-3232 in Suffolk. When in doubt, either office can typically redirect you to the other, so calling isn't the wrong move even if you're unsure which applies.
Related questions
- Who is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Suffolk County, and what do they do?
- Who is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Nassau County?
- What's the statewide hotline if I don't know who my local Long-Term Care Ombudsman is?
- Is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program free, and does it cost anything to file a complaint?
