New Jersey § 52:27g-5

§ 52:27g-5.

The ombudsman, as administrator and chief executive officer of the office, shall: a. Administer and organize the work of the office and establish therein such administrative

subdivisions as necessary, proper , and expedient. He or she may formulate and adopt rules and regulations and prescribe duties for the efficient

conduct of the business, work , and general administration of the office. He or she may delegate to subordinate officers or employees in the office such power as may be desirable to be exercised under his or her supervision and control; b. Appoint and remove such stenographic, clerical , and other secretarial assistants as may be required for the proper conduct of the

office, subject to the provisions of Title 11 (Civil Service) of the Revised Statutes,

and other applicable statutes, and within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise

made available therefor. In addition, and within such funding limits, the ombudsman may appoint, retain , or employ, without regard to the provisions of the said Title 11 (Civil Service),

or any other statutes, such officers, investigators, experts, consultants , or other professionally qualified personnel on a contract basis or otherwise as necessary. c. Appoint and employ, notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1944, c. 20 ( C.52:17A-1 et seq. ), a general counsel and such other attorneys or counsel as he or she may require, for the purpose, among other things, of providing legal advice on such

matters as the ombudsman may from time to time require, of attending to and dealing

with all litigation, controversies , and legal matters in which the office may be a party or in which its rights and interests

may be involved, and of representing the office in all proceedings or actions of any

kind which may be brought for or against it in any court of this State. With respect to all of the foregoing, such counsel and attorneys shall be independent

of any supervision or control by the Attorney General or by the Department of Law

and Public Safety, or by any division or officer thereof; d. Have authority to adopt and promulgate pursuant to law such rules and regulations

as necessary to carry out the purposes of this act; e. Maintain suitable headquarters for the office and such other quarters as necessary to the proper functioning of the office; f. Solicit and accept grants of funds from the federal government and from other public and any private sources for any of the purposes of this act;

provided, however, that any such funds shall be expended only pursuant to an appropriation

made by law; g. Perform such other functions as may be prescribed in this act or by any other law ; and h. Establish, in consultation with the Department of Health, an annual long-term care

training program in a manner to be determined by the ombudsman. At a minimum, the program shall address the following subjects: the rights of residents

of long-term care facilities; fostering choice and independence among residents of

long-term care facilities; identifying and reporting abuse, neglect, or exploitation

of residents of long-term care facilities; long-term care facility ownership; updates

on State and federal guidelines, laws, and regulations that pertain to long-term care

facilities; and issues, trends, and policies that impact the rights of long-term

care residents. The annual training program shall be completed by the ombudsman's investigative

and advocacy staff, the ombudsman's volunteer advocates, and Department of Health

long-term care facility surveyors, inspectors, and complaint investigators. Subject to the availability of staff and funding, the training program shall be

offered to residents of long-term care facilities, those residents' family members,

advocacy organizations, government agencies, and long-term care facility employees. To develop and implement the training program, the ombudsman may contract or consult

with a non-profit organization that possesses expertise on the rights of residents

in long-term care settings.