The Community Living Ombudsman Program (CLOP) is a Louisiana network of trained advocates, known as Ombudsmen, who visit persons with developmental disabilities living in group or community homes.
Ombudsmen are prepared to:
- Familiarize residents with their rights as persons with developmental disabilities and as persons living in community homes.
- Suggest measures to enhance quality of life in the group home
- Identify instances of abuse or neglect
- Train staff about the needs and rights of residents
- Provide referral information about community resources
- Initiate formal complaints when necessary
More Details:
CLOP was established in 1993 under state law. Certified CLOP ombudsmen visit all privately operated, state licensed, group and community homes (ICF/DD’s) in the state to assure quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities who reside there.
CLOP serves the entire state of Louisiana and is divided into ten regions. In each of these regions, ombudsmen regularly visit facilities and help residents with requests and grievances.
To be eligible for CLOP services, an individual must reside in an intermediate care facility for individuals with developmental disabilities (an ICF/DD) that is funded through the state but privately operated (this includes most group and community homes and some larger facilities). DRLA provides the following services under CLOP:
Information and Referral
- Provide information on rights and resources
- Refer to other DRLA legal and nonlegal programs; adult and child protective services; provider and other agencies; family, consumer, and advocacy groups
Individual Case Advocacy
- Assist residents and families with requests protecting rights, change or improve service setting, and enhance quality of life
- Assist residents and families in making complaints about abuse, neglect, and exploitation
Systems Advocacy
- Identify system-wide problems
- Make recommendations to provider agencies and state regulators to improve service delivery
The Law
State law provides that individuals with developmental disabilities have the same rights as all other citizens, specifically to:
- Live in the least restrictive living option appropriate to their needs and abilities
- Participate in the least restrictive services
- Have service plans
- Have periodic diagnosis and evaluation reviews
- Receive appropriate services
- Maximize their capabilities and enhance their abilities to cope with the environment
- Withdraw from services to which they have been voluntarily admitted
- Participate in planning for their own services
- Be informed of their rights
- Receive an education, if they are of school age
Residents and family members are not always aware of these rights, nor are all staff persons of group and community homes.
For Assistance:
To ask for assistance from an ombudsman or to obtain additional information about our services, please contact us:
Disability Rights Louisiana
8325 Oak Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-522-2337
Fax 504-522-5507
toll free: 800-960-7705 (Voice or Via 711 Relay)
Or to get help now, fill out our online intake form
Publications
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