During the 2017 legislative session, Elder Voice supported increased funding to the Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC) at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for additional staff and resources to investigate more maltreatment complaints. With OHFC investigating less than 10% of family reports of maltreatment and less than 1% of provider self-reports, a significant infusion of funding is necessary. Many Elder Voice members testified before the legislature in support of the increased funding, based on their own experiences with OHFC.

For example, concerns related to the OHFC process were expressed in the following areas:

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• Unclear and Difficult Intake Process for Complaints

• Number of Complaints Not Investigated

• Inadequate and Delayed Investigations

• Lack of Communication to Family Members

• Inadequate Plans of Correction and Assessment of Penalties

• Lack of Transparency in Public Reporting of Investigations

• Difficulty Navigating OHFC Website

• Unfair Appeals Process for Families and Vulnerable Adults