42 U.S.C. § 1395i: Protecting residents of long-term care facilities

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into a contract with an entity for the purpose of establishing and operating a National Training Institute for Federal and State surveyors. Such Institute shall provide and improve the training of surveyors with respect to investigating allegations of abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property in programs and long-term care facilities that receive payments under title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act [ 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq.]. Assess the extent to which State agencies use specialized surveyors for the investigation of reported allegations of abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property in such programs and long-term care facilities. Evaluate how the competencies of surveyors may be improved to more effectively investigate reported allegations of such abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property, and provide feedback to Federal and State agencies on the evaluations conducted. Provide a national program of training, tools, and technical assistance to Federal and State surveyors on investigating reports of such abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property. Develop and disseminate information on best practices for the investigation of such abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property. Assess the performance of State complaint intake systems, in order to ensure that the intake of complaints occurs 24 hours per day, 7 days a week (including holidays). To the extent approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, provide a national 24 hours per day, 7 days a week (including holidays), back-up system to State complaint intake systems in order to ensure optimum national responsiveness to complaints of such abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property. The total number and sources of complaints of such abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of property. The extent to which such complaints are referred to law enforcement agencies. General results of Federal and State investigations of such complaints. Conduct a national study of the cost to State agencies of conducting complaint investigations of skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities under sections 1819 and 1919, respectively, of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395i–3 ; 1396r), and making recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to options to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such investigations. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph, for the period of fiscal years 2011 through 2014, $12,000,000. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make grants to State agencies that perform surveys of skilled nursing facilities or nursing facilities under sections 1819 or 1919, respectively, of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395i–3 ; 1395r [1396r]). promptly prioritize complaints in order to ensure a rapid response to the most serious and urgent complaints; respond to complaints with optimum effectiveness and timeliness; and such State agency; the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman; local law enforcement agencies; advocacy and consumer organizations; State aging units; Area Agencies on Aging; and other appropriate entities. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph, for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014, $5,000,000.