(A) The office of the state long-term care ombudsman program, through the state long-term care ombudsman and the regional long-term care ombudsman programs, shall receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints made by residents, recipients, sponsors, long-term care providers, or any person acting on behalf of a resident or recipient, relating to either of the following:

1. (1) The health, safety, welfare, or civil rights of a resident or recipient or any violation of a resident's rights described in sections 3721.10 to 3721.17 of the Revised Code;
2. (2) Any action or inaction or decision by any of the following that may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, or rights of a resident or recipient: a long-term care provider or a representative of a long-term care provider; a medicaid managed care organization, as defined in section 5167.01 of the Revised Code; a government entity; or a private social service agency.

(C) The office of the state long-term care ombudsman program may decline to investigate any complaint if it determines any of the following:

1. (1) That the complaint is frivolous, vexatious, or not made in good faith;
2. (2) That the complaint was made so long after the occurrence of the incident on which it is based that it is no longer reasonable to conduct an investigation;
3. (3) That an adequate investigation cannot be conducted because of insufficient funds, insufficient staff, lack of staff expertise, or any other reasonable factor that would result in an inadequate investigation despite a good faith effort;
4. (4) That an investigation by the office would create a real or apparent conflict of interest.

(G) No long-term care provider or other entity, no person employed by a long-term care provider or other entity, and no other individual shall do either of the following:

1. (1) Knowingly deny a representative of the office of the state long-term care ombudsman program the right to private communication or access described in division (E) of this section;
2. (2) Engage in willful interference. As used in division (G)(2) of this section, "willful interference" means any action or inaction that is intended to prevent, interfere with, or impede a representative of the office of the state long-term care ombudsman program from exercising any of the rights or performing any of the duties of an ombudsman set forth in sections 173.14 to 173.28 of the Revised Code.