36-196. Duties and responsibilities

A. Each advisory committee established pursuant to this article may:

1. Promote communication among the patients and residents of nursing care institutions and residential care institutions, the providers of such services, the authorized local agency and the department.

2. Collect and maintain data on nursing care institutions and residential care institutions, including, but not limited to, data on residents, cost of services, scope of services and grievances.

3. Receive grievances from inpatients, residents or employees of nursing care institutions and residential care institutions or any other person, investigate such grievances when necessary and make reports on such grievances to the authorized local agency and to the department when necessary.

4. Make recommendations to the agency or the department regarding rules, regulations, policy or procedures related to nursing care institutions or residential care institutions.

B. Each advisory committee established pursuant to this article shall file an annual report by January 31 of each year with the agency and department, summarizing all findings and activities of the advisory committee during the previous year. The advisory committee shall file additional reports as required by the authorized local agency or the department. A copy of the report shall be maintained at the office of the authorized local agency and shall be made available to the public for inspection and copying pursuant to section 39-121.01.