Agency Details:

Vermont Legal Aid - Long Term Care Ombudsman Project

To protect the rights and improve the quality of life of Vermonters living in long-term care facilities.

Description:
Volunteers are critical to the success of the Vermont Ombudsman Project. Volunteer field Ombudsmen expand our project’s capacity to address the needs of long term care residents. Volunteers must be effective communicators and problem solvers. They should be comfortable visiting long term care facilities and talking with the residents in those facilities. Most important, they must be committed to promoting and protecting the right of each resident to self determination and a dignified existence.
Each volunteer completes 20 hours of classroom training. The classroom training consists of three parts: one half day training, one full day training with visits to facilities, and self-study. Volunteers also complete at least 30 hours of field training. During the field training volunteers “shadow” the Regional Ombudsman (RO) who will supervise them after they have been certified. Volunteers visit facilities with their ROs. They have an opportunity to meet both staff and residents and to observe their ROs investigate and resolve complaints.

Contact people:

Alice Nicholson, Regional Ombudsman, (800) 769-6728, (email) Jackie Majoros, State Long Term Care Ombudsman, (802) 863-5620, (email)

Office fax number: (802) 863-7152

Address:

Vermont Legal Aid, 264 North Winooski Avenue P.O. Box 1367 Burlington, VT 05402 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.vtlegalaid.org

Miscellaneous Information

1. What target populations does your agency serve?
	People living in nursing homes, residential care homes, and assisted living residences in Vermont.
3. How many paid staff (FTE) do you have?
	8
4. Please indicate your organization type:
	Independent 501 (c)3
How many clients do you serve annually?
	Serving Approximately 5,800 Vermonters
Volunteers for this agency can serve in these county(s):
	Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties

Last updated on May 19, 2009