What are Community Advisory Committees?

The Nursing Home Community Advisory Committees and the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committees serve the residents of long term care facilities within each county. The committees hold legislative authority to monitor the Residents’ Bill of Rights, promote community involvement and cooperation with the homes, provide public education pertaining to long term care issues, and assist residents in grievance resolution. Community advisory committee members work to ensure quality care for persons residing in long term care facilities.

How are Volunteers Appointed?

Boards of County Commissioners are encouraged to appoint Community Advisory Committee volunteers in each county. Appointment to a Community Advisory Committee is contingent upon designation of the appointee by the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman in accordance with G.S. 143B-181.18. A designated appointee is directly accountable to the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in order to perform the duties as a representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Any individual who serves as a community Advisory Committee member must go through the Office of The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s certification and designation process and meet the certification and designation requirements in accordance with the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Policies and Procedures. Appointees must reside within the county which they serve. Committee members are initially appointed to a one-year term with every term thereafter being 1-3 years.

Nursing Home Community Advisory Committees are required to visit all nursing homes every three months as a committee. They serve as a supportive local committee which helps to maintain the spirit of the Nursing Home Resident’s Bill of Rights.

Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committees  are required to visit the Adult Care Hoes every three months. Family Care Homes are visited annually by the committee. This committee helps maintain the Adult Care Home Resident’s Bill of Rights.

Joint Nursing Home and Adult Care Homes Committees are required to visit the Nursing Homes and Adult Care Homes every three months. Family Care Homes are visited annually by the committee.

The Community Advisory Committees are legislatively mandated to:

• Advocate for residents of long term care facilities.
• Visit facilities to insure that the Resident’s Bill of Rights is being followed.
• Work on the local level to resolve complaints.
• Promote Elder Abuse Awareness.

Who Cannot Serve as a Community Advisory Committee Member?

• No person or immediate family member with a financial interest in a facility served or employs or governing board member of a facility served.
• Immediate family member of a resident in a facility.
• Whenever an immediate family member of a current advisory committee member becomes a resident in a facility visited by the committee, that advisory committee member immediately becomes ineligible to serve on the committee.
• Immediate relative of an employee or owner/operator of a facility served by the community advisory committee.

 See G.G. 131D-31() and G.S. 131E-123(f).

If intereted in becoming a Community Advisory Committee Member click here for an application. Please send applications to Regional Long Term Ombudsman.

Number of CACs per county (allowed)

CAC Meeting Dates 2022

For more information about this program contact an Ombudsman: