Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 1.djvu/967

 PUBLIC LAW 100-175—NOV. 29, 1987

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101 STAT. 937

facilities and services in that State, and recommend any changes in such laws, regulations, and policies deemed by the Office to be appropriate; "(iii) provide information to public agencies, legislators, and others, as deemed necessary by the Office, regarding the problems and concerns, including recommendations related to such problems and concerns, of older individuals residing in long-term care facilities; "(iv) provide for the training of the Office staff, including volunteers and other representatives of the Office, in— "(I) Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and policies with respect to long-term care facilities in the State; "(II) investigative techniques; and "(III) such other matters as the State deems appropriate; "(v) coordinate ombudsman services with the protection and advocacy systems for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness established under part A of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) and under the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally 111 Individuals Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-319); and "(vi) include any area or local ombudsman entity designated by the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman as a subdivision of the Office. Any representative of an entity designated in accordance with the preceding sentence (whether an employee or an unpaid volunteer) shall be treated as a representative of the Office for purposes of this paragraph. "(I) The State will ensure that no representative of the Office will be liable under State law for the good faith performance of official duties. "(J) The State will— "(i) ensure that willful interference with representatives of the Office in the performance of their official duties (as defined by the Commissioner) shall be unlawful; "(ii) prohibit retaliation and reprisals by a long-term care facility or other entity with respect to any resident or employee for having filed a complaint with, or providing information to, the Office; "(iii) provide for appropriate sanctions with respect to such interference, retaliation, and reprisals; and "(iv) ensure that representatives of the Office shall have— "(I) access to long-term care facilities and their residents; and "(II) with the permission of a resident or resident's legal guardian, have access to review the resident's medical and social records or, if a resident is unable to consent to such review and has no legal guardian, appropriate access to the resident's medical and social records. "(K) The State agency will prohibit any officer, employee, or other representative of the Office to investigate any

Public information.

Education.

Health and medical care. Handicapped persons.

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