Rule 173-14-04 | Professional development: hours.
(A) A candidate may qualify for certification as an ombudsman associate if the candidate successfully completes at least thirty-six hours of professional development that includes lecture-format education, homework, and field experience and passes the certification exam before performing any ombudsman duties without direct supervision by an ombudsman specialist or ombudsman program director. No later than sixty days after meeting all the professional development requirements, the candidate shall take the ombudsman associate exam.
(B) A candidate may qualify for certification as an ombudsman specialist if the candidate successfully completes thirty-six hours of professional development and passes an ombudsman deployment exam administered by the SLTCO before handling complaints without direct supervision by a certified ombudsman specialist or a certified ombudsman program director. After the initial thirty-six hours of professional development, the candidate shall complete all the following:
(1) Sixty additional hours of professional development within the first fifteen months of employment.
(2) A twenty-hour orientation within the first fifteen months of employment which is performed at a site approved by the SLTCO according to rule 173-14-08 of the Administrative Code.
(3) Any other professional development considered appropriate by the SLTCO.
No later than sixty days after meeting all the professional development requirements, the candidate shall take the ombudsman specialist exam. All candidates who pass the exam are certified as ombudsman specialists.
(C) The professional development qualifications for an ombudsman program director candidate are the same as in paragraph (B) of this rule with the addition of six 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 thirty-six hours of professional development and the six hours on program management and administration.
Within sixty days after completing the required professional development, the candidate shall take the ombudsman program director exam. All candidates who pass the exam are certified as ombudsman program directors.
(D) Candidates for ombudsman specialist certification shall be assigned a caseload of no fewer than five cases throughout their enrollment in professional development.
Last updated August 1, 2024 at 7:46 AM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 173.16, 173.17, 173.21; 42 U.S.C. 3058g; 45 C.F.R. 1321.11, 1324.11, 1324.13, 1324.15
Five Year Review Date: 8/1/2029
Prior Effective Dates: 6/15/1991, 12/27/2001, 12/28/2006, 1/2/2012, 5/1/2018, 1/30/2022