Dayton Senior AdvisorWhere do I complain about an Ohio nursing home or assisted living facility?
To the Ohio Department of Health's complaint unit at 1-800-342-0553, which investigates complaints about licensed residential care facilities and nursing homes; live calls are taken on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with voicemail checked outside those hours.
Give the facility name and State ID, the resident's name, what happened and when, and who saw it. ODH decides whether to send surveyors, and a complaint investigation shows up afterward in the Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide with any citations. Complaints about a home health agency go to ODH's home health hotline, 1-800-669-3534. If someone is in danger, call 911 first.
What does the Region 2 Long-Term Care Ombudsman do?
The ombudsman advocates for residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities in Montgomery, Greene, Miami, Clark, Darke, Preble, Champaign, Logan and Shelby counties, resolving problems with care, rights, billing and discharges, free and with the resident's consent; call 1-800-395-8267.
The Region 2 program is based at 11 West Monument in downtown Dayton (local line 937-223-4613). Unlike ODH, the ombudsman does not issue citations; it works the problem out with the facility, which is often faster. It is the right first call for a discharge notice, a dispute over charges, a roommate conflict or a resident who feels ignored. The statewide ombudsman line is 1-800-282-1206.
Who handles abuse or neglect of an older adult living at home?
County Adult Protective Services, run by each county's Job and Family Services department; in Montgomery County the 24-hour line is (937) 225-4906 for adults 60 and older, and the statewide line 1-855-644-6277 (855-OHIO-APS) routes reports from any county.
APS investigates abuse, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of older adults outside licensed facilities, and can arrange services or seek court protection. Greene, Miami, Clark, Darke and Preble counties each run their own intake through their JFS office. Abuse inside a licensed facility should go to ODH as well, because it is a licensing matter there.
What happens after we file a complaint?
ODH triages the complaint by seriousness: allegations of immediate risk get the fastest response, and surveyors visit unannounced, interview residents and staff, review records, and cite any rule violations they confirm.
The facility must then submit a plan of correction. You can ask ODH about the outcome, and the survey will appear in the Consumer Guide. Keep notes with dates, names and photos where appropriate; specific, dated detail makes a complaint much easier to substantiate. Ohio law protects residents from retaliation for complaining.
Which office should we call first?
Call 911 for immediate danger, the ombudsman for most problems a resident wants resolved, ODH for care failures you want investigated and cited, and APS for an older adult at risk at home.
If you are unsure, the ombudsman will point you to the right office. For questions that are not complaints, such as how to apply for PASSPORT or the Assisted Living Waiver, the Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2, at 1-800-258-7277 is the starting point.
Side by side
| This office handles | This office does not handle | |
|---|---|---|
| ODH complaint unit | Investigating licensed facilities and citing violations | Negotiating on a resident's behalf |
| Region 2 ombudsman | Resolving residents' problems with their consent | Issuing citations or fines |
| County APS | Abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults at home | Licensing complaints about facilities |
| Area Agency on Aging | Programs, assessments and referrals | Investigating complaints |
Drawn from Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3721, Ohio Administrative Code Chapters 3701-16 and 5160:1-6, ODH and Ohio Department of Aging publications, Ohio Medicaid letters, CareScout, CMS and the VA; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
