The local long-term care ombudsman
Region 8 of Indiana's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, operated by Indiana Legal Services, covers every county this site serves — Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Boone and Hancock — plus Morgan and Shelby. Reach the regional office at 317-631-9424 (1200 S. Madison Ave, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46225) or the statewide information and complaint line at 800-622-4484.
An ombudsman advocates for a resident free of charge, and only with the resident's (or their legal representative's) consent. They can attend a care conference with a family but do not license, inspect or fine a facility — that is the Indiana Department of Health's role, not the ombudsman's.
Reporting abuse or neglect
Indiana's Adult Protective Services is statewide, not county-run — five regional field teams under FSSA's Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitative Services handle every report, so there is no separate Marion County (or any other county) APS number to look up. Call the statewide line at 1-800-992-6978, or file online.
Indiana is a mandatory-reporting state for suspected neglect, battery, or exploitation of an “endangered adult” (18+, incapacitated, and harmed or threatened) — anyone who suspects it, not only healthcare or facility staff, is required to report.
A facility-specific licensing complaint (about conditions, staffing, or care quality broadly, rather than an individual's abuse or neglect) goes to the Indiana Department of Health separately, at 1-800-246-8909 or through its online complaint form.
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.
