California Long Term Care Ombudsman Association

08/06/2026

California’s most vulnerable patients need access to the highest quality care. would prohibit step therapy requirements for prescription drugs used to treat serious mental illness and .

07/31/2026

will prohibit insurers from imposing step therapy as a prerequisite to authorizing coverage of any prescription drug used to treat a serious mental illness or . Patients shouldn't have to fail first to get the care they need.

06/25/2026

We are proud to co-sponsor AB-2135 (Kalra) with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, California Council of the Blind, and Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF).

AB-2135 strengthens protections for nursing home residents facing unlawful, unsafe, and unnecessary transfers and discharges by requiring more notice, better documentation, and stronger state enforcement mechanisms. Consistent with existing federal law, the bill also ensures residents receive transfer and discharge notices in their preferred language and in accessible formats, such as Braille or large print, when required. These practical, targeted reforms create a more transparent and predictable process that better protects residents' rights while preserving the flexibility facilities need to respond to legitimate health and safety emergencies.

We greatly appreciate Assemblymember Ash Kalra's continued leadership on this issue given his longstanding commitment to protecting the rights, health, safety, and dignity of California's long-term care residents.

AB-2135 passed the Senate Health Committee yesterday and is expected to be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee in July.

06/15/2026

Start where you are, use what you have, and make a difference. Educating our communities on how to prevent abuse means we are all doing our part to support everyone as we age. https://ncea.usc.edu/weaad

06/12/2026

The Elder Justice Coalition is hosting a virtual briefing on Monday, June 15 at 9am PST dedicated to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Please join us at this special event and spread the word with your networks!

This timely discussion will cover important policy topics like funding for adult protective services, the long-term care ombudsman in 2026, updates on reauthorization of the Elder Justice Act and more. You will hear a series of presentations from a diverse range of elder justice leaders and advocates.

Registration is free and open now! Sign up to attend and find more information at:

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, join advocates, policymakers, and aging services professionals for a timely conversation on strengthening protections for older adults and advancing elder justice solutions. We'll discuss the urgent need for sustained investment in APS and Ombudsman...

06/12/2026

An estimated 5 million, or 1 in 10, older Americans experience elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Working together across our networks, we can generate awareness and foster action to end elder abuse. Let’s work to keep everyone safe as we age. https://ncea.usc.edu/weaad

06/05/2026

Join aging and disability advocates on the steps of the State Capitol this upcoming Monday, June 8, to help us oppose harmful cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) being threatened in the Governor's budget.

CLTCOA supports preserving IHSS because it helps older adults and people with disabilities remain safely in their homes and communities while maintaining their independence and quality of life. While skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities play an important role in California's long-term care system, they are not the right choice for everyone. Many Californians prefer to age in place with the support of family caregivers and IHSS providers.

This principle is reflected in California's Master Plan for Aging, which prioritizes helping people live where they choose as they grow older. Protecting IHSS helps ensure that individuals can receive care in the least restrictive setting possible and make meaningful choices about where and how they live.

We also want to thank Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez for making this issue a priority and for elevating the voices of Californians who rely on IHSS and other home- and community-based services.

05/15/2026

We are proud to share CLTCOA sponsored bill SB-991 (Menjivar) passed the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday and will continue moving forward in the legislative process.

SB-991 would require substantiated findings of abuse and neglect in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs), also known as assisted living facilities, to be categorized according to the specific type of abuse demonstrated by the evidence — such as physical abuse, financial abuse, neglect, or isolation — rather than broadly listed as “residents’ rights violations.”

The bill does not expand CDSS’s enforcement authority or change the standards for substantiating abuse. Instead, it improves how existing violations are categorized and displayed in public-facing licensing databases so residents, families, advocates, and regulators have clearer and more meaningful information.

We are especially grateful to Senator Caroline Menjivar for her leadership and commitment to improving transparency and accountability in California’s assisted living facilities, as well as to our advocacy partners who attended the Senate Human Services Committee hearing to voice their support for this important legislation.

Senior Advocacy Services
Long Term Care Ombudsman Services of San Luis Obispo County
Empowered Aging
Disability Rights California
AgeUp
California Low-Income Consumer Coalition
Alzheimer's Association
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
Consumer Attorneys of California
Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

05/08/2026

CLTCOA is proud to support stronger protections for nursing home residents facing evictions and involuntary discharges alongside Assemblymember Ash Kalra and our partners at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, California Council of the Blind, and Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)

AB-2135 (Kalra), which CLTCOA is co-sponsoring, recently passed both the Assembly Health Committee and Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now headed to the Assembly Floor for a vote.

The bill would strengthen protections against unsafe and unlawful nursing home evictions by improving notice requirements, ensuring residents receive discharge notices in a language and format they can understand, and strengthening enforcement when facilities refuse to readmit residents after a successful appeal.

Thank you to all the organizations that attended the first hearing to show their support:
AARP California
Alzheimer's Association
Western Center on Law & Poverty