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The Local Ombudsman and Filing Complaints

Two different systems: the free, independent long-term care ombudsman, and the state health department complaint line. Here is when to use each.

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The local long-term care ombudsman

Long Island is split across two separate Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) regions, and which one covers a facility depends on the county it sits in, not the county the family lives in.

  • Suffolk County — Family Service League, Coordinator Elizabeth Maxim, 631-470-6755.
  • Nassau County — Family and Children's Association, Coordinator Mary Clare Campion, 516-466-9718.

If you are not sure which region covers a specific community, the statewide Ombudsman hotline, 1-855-582-6769, can route you. The ombudsman is free, independent of any facility or agency, and acts only with the resident's (or their legal representative's) consent.

Reporting abuse or neglect on Long Island

New York's Adult Protective Services (APS) is run county-by-county through each county's Department of Social Services, not a single statewide hotline.

  • Nassau County APS — 516-227-8395 (Nassau County Department of Social Services, Office of Adult Services).
  • Suffolk County APS — 631-854-3232 (Suffolk County Department of Social Services).

If you are unsure which county line applies, New York's statewide adult services information line, 1-844-697-3505, can direct you. For a concern about care inside a licensed facility specifically, also contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and NYSDOH's Metropolitan Area Regional Office – Long Island at 631-851-3098. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.

Which one to call

The long-term care ombudsman and the state health regulator do different jobs, and using one does not preclude the other. The ombudsman advocates for a resident and can attend a care conference with you, but does not license, inspect or fine a facility. The state regulator investigates regulatory complaints and can take enforcement action, but is not an advocate for an individual resident's preferences the way an ombudsman is.

The consent rule

An ombudsman acts only with the consent of the resident or their legal representative. This surprises adult children. If a parent has capacity and does not want a complaint pursued, that decision stands, even where family disagrees with it.

Questions families ask

What's the difference between a nursing home and an assisted living residence in New York, regulation-wise?

Nursing homes are licensed under 10 NYCRR Part 415, Nursing Homes - Minimum Standards, a distinct regulatory chapter focused on skilled, medically intensive care. Assisted Living Residences are licensed under 10 NYCRR Part 1001, and can only exist as an additional certification on top of an already-licensed Adult Home or Enriched Housing Program, themselves licensed under 18 NYCRR Parts 487 and 488.

At what point does hourly in-home care cost more than assisted living in New York?

Using CareScout's 2025 New York State medians, in-home non-medical caregiving costs $35 per hour, or about $6,673 per month at 44 hours a week, compared to assisted living's median of $7,110 per month ($225 per day). At roughly 45 to 46 hours per week of paid in-home care, the monthly cost crosses over and exceeds the assisted living median; families needing care beyond that, including any overnight or 24/7 coverage, would generally spend more on home care than on a private one-bedroom assisted living apartment.

What's the difference between a CCRC or Life Plan Community and a standalone assisted living or nursing facility on Long Island?

A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), also called a Life Plan Community, offers a full continuum of care, independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing, on one campus, so a resident can move between levels of care as needs change without relocating to a different facility or provider. Long Island examples include Jefferson's Ferry in South Setauket, which describes itself as Long Island's first Life Plan Community, and Peconic Landing in Greenport, which describes itself as New York's only equity-based CCRC; a standalone assisted living or nursing facility, by contrast, offers only one level of care and requires a resident to move elsewhere if their needs change.

Who regulates assisted living facilities on Long Island?

New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) licenses and regulates assisted living as part of its Adult Care Facility (ACF) program, which covers Adult Homes, Enriched Housing Programs, and Assisted Living Residences (ALR). Long Island facilities are overseen locally through NYSDOH's Metropolitan Area Regional Office - Long Island (MARO-LI) in Central Islip. Nursing homes are licensed separately by NYSDOH under a different set of regulations (10 NYCRR Part 415).

What's the difference between an Adult Home, Enriched Housing Program, and Assisted Living Residence in NY?

Adult Homes and Enriched Housing Programs (EHP) are New York's two base licensed categories providing room, board, housekeeping, and personal care to five or more unrelated adults, with EHP generally serving residents 65+ in more independent, apartment-style settings. An Assisted Living Residence (ALR) is an additional certification layered on top of an existing Adult Home or EHP license - it cannot exist as a standalone building type. Adult Homes and EHPs are regulated under 18 NYCRR Parts 487 and 488; ALRs are regulated under 10 NYCRR Part 1001.

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