Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman: How to File a Nursing Home Complaint

The Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a federally mandated, state-funded advocacy service that investigates complaints about the care, rights, and welfare of residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care settings.

If your parent is in a Maine care facility and you have concerns about their treatment — or if a facility is threatening discharge — the ombudsman is often the most effective first call.

What the Ombudsman Investigates

The program handles complaints related to:

• Involuntary discharge or transfer — a facility threatening to evict your parent, especially during a pending MaineCare application
• Inadequate care — insufficient staffing, missed medications, untreated pain, poor hygiene
• Rights violations — restricting visitors, withholding mail, failing to provide required discharge notices
• Abuse or neglect — physical, emotional, or financial mistreatment
• Billing disputes — charges for services not rendered, overcharging, or pressure to sign personal guarantees
• Bed-hold violations — a facility refusing to readmit a resident after hospitalization

The ombudsman does not replace regulatory agencies like the Division of Licensing and Certification (which handles health and safety citations), but they can escalate serious cases and serve as an immediate advocate when your parent's rights are at risk.

How to File a Complaint

Call the Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program:

• Toll-free: 1-800-499-0229
• Local: (207) 621-1079

You can file a complaint by phone. Provide:

• Your parent's name and the facility name and location
• A specific description of the concern (dates, names of staff involved, what happened)
• What you've already tried to resolve the issue (conversations with facility staff, written complaints)
• Whether your parent has given consent for the ombudsman to investigate on their behalf

The ombudsman will assign an investigator who visits the facility, interviews staff and residents, reviews records, and works toward resolution. The process is confidential — the facility cannot retaliate against a resident for filing a complaint.

When to Call During a Hospital Discharge

The ombudsman is particularly valuable during two hospital-discharge scenarios:

Scenario 1: A facility refuses to readmit your parent after hospitalization. Maine licensing rules require assisted housing programs to readmit residents sent to the hospital unless the resident has exceeded their bed-hold period or meets emergency discharge criteria. If a facility is blocking readmission, the ombudsman can intervene and remind the facility of its legal obligations.

Scenario 2: A nursing home threatens eviction during MaineCare pending. Federal Medicaid regulations prohibit eviction for non-payment while a MaineCare application is under review. If the facility's billing department is pressuring your family, the ombudsman can verify the pending application status and stop the discharge process.

Other Resources to Know

If the ombudsman determines the complaint involves potential abuse, neglect, or a licensing violation, they may refer the case to:

• DHHS Division of Licensing and Certification: (207) 287-9300 — handles facility inspections and health/safety citations
• Legal Services for the Elderly: 1-800-750-5353 — free civil legal assistance for Mainers 60+
• Adult Protective Services: 1-800-624-8404 — for suspected abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult

The Hospital-to-Home Maine toolkit includes a complaint documentation worksheet and contact directory for all Maine eldercare advocacy agencies, so you can escalate issues quickly when your parent's safety or housing is at risk.

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