173-14-04. Hours of professional development required for representatives of the office, certification

(A) Representatives of the office shall complete the following professional development:

(1) A candidate for certification as ombudsman associate shall complete at least fourteen clock hours of professional development and pass the certification examination before performing any ombudsman duties. These fourteen hours of professional development shall include observation of, and participation in, a complaint-handling experience. That experience may be done after passing the certification examination, but an associate shall shall not perform any ombudsman duties before passing the certification examination and observing a complaint-handling experience. Within sixty days after completing the required professional development, the candidate shall take the ombudsman associate examination. A candidate who passes the examination and completes the required observation shall be certified as an ombudsman associate and may perform the duties of an ombudsman associate without direct supervision.

(2) A candidate for certification as an ombudsman specialist shall complete forty clock hours of professional development and pass an ombudsman deployment examination administered by the SLTCO before handling complaints without direct supervision by a certified ombudsman specialist or a certified ombudsman program director. After the initial forty clock hours of professional development, the candidate shall complete all the following:

(a) Sixty additional clock hours of professional development within the first fifteen months of employment.

(b) A twenty-clock-hour orientation within the first

fifteen months of employment. This orientation shall be performed at a site approved by the SLTCO according to rule 173-14-08 of the Administrative Code.

(c) Observation of a survey or inspection as defined in division (B)(4) of section 173.21 of the Revised Code within the first twenty-four months of employment.

(d) Any other professional development considered appropriate by the SLTCO.

Within sixty days after completing the required professional development, the candidate shall take the ombudsman specialist examination. All candidates who pass the examination shall be certified as ombudsman specialists.

(3) The professional development requirements for an ombudsman program director candidate are the same as for an ombudsman specialist with the addition of six clock hours of education on program management and administration to be completed as soon as feasible. An ombudsman program director candidate shall work under the supervision of the SLTCO until the candidate has completed the initial forty clock hours of professional development and the six clock hours on program management and administration.

Within sixty days after completing the required professional development, the candidate shall take the ombudsman program director examination. All candidates who pass the examination shall be certified as ombudsman program directors.

(B) Candidates for ombudsman specialist and ombudsman program director certification shall be assigned a caseload of no fewer than five cases throughout their enrollment in professional development.

Effective: 5/1/2018
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 1/30/2018 and 05/01/2023
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 173.01, 173.02, 173.16, 173.21 ; 42 U.S.C. 3025(a)(1)(C), 3058g(a)(5)(D); 45 C.F.R. 1321.11, 1324.11(e), 1324.13(b)(1), 1324.15(b), (k)(4)
Rule Amplifies: 173.16, 173.17, 173.21 ; 42 U.S.C. 3058g; 45 C.F.R. 1321.11, 1324.11(e), 1324.13(c)(2), 1324.15(c), (k)(4)
Prior Effective Dates: 06/15/1991, 12/27/2001, 12/28/2006, 01/02/2012