The main Texas ombudsman phone number is 877-787-8999, which reaches the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Ombudsman for complaints about Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and other state benefits or eligibility decisions. For a nursing home or assisted living concern, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 800-252-2412. For a state supported living center, call the Independent Ombudsman at 877-323-6466. The HHS and long-term care lines are staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
Texas Ombudsman Numbers by Situation
Texas runs three separate ombudsman offices. Each covers different complaints, and calling the wrong one only adds delay.
HHS Office of the Ombudsman: 877-787-8999
Call this office about state-administered benefits and services: denied Medicaid applications, delayed SNAP or TANF benefits, caseworker conduct, and disputes over eligibility determinations.
- Phone: 877-787-8999 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CT)
- Fax: 888-780-8099
- Mail: HHS Office of the Ombudsman, P.O. Box 13247, Austin, Texas 78711-3247
- Online form: Available through the HHS Office of the Ombudsman web page
HHS advises trying to resolve the issue directly with the agency first. If that goes nowhere, the ombudsman steps in as a neutral party to review what happened.1Texas Health and Human Services. HHS Office of the Ombudsman
Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 800-252-2412
Call this office about anyone living in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Typical issues include quality of care, food and sanitation, resident rights violations, improper discharge, restrictions on visitors, and mishandling of a resident’s personal funds.
- Phone: 800-252-2412
- Website: ltco.texas.gov
Long-term care ombudsmen advocate for residents’ rights and for the quality of life and quality of care of anyone living in a nursing facility or assisted living facility.2State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Facilities are required to post the toll-free number where residents can see it.3Texas Health and Human Services. Required Postings
Independent Ombudsman for State Supported Living Centers: 877-323-6466
State supported living centers serve people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and have a dedicated ombudsman that is separate from the Long-Term Care office. Calling the LTC line about a state supported living center will only reroute you.
- Phone: 877-323-6466
- Email: sslc.ombudsman@hhs.texas.gov
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman website specifically directs concerns about state supported living centers to this independent office.2State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
When To Call a Different Number Instead
The ombudsman investigates complaints and advocates for resolution. Some situations need a different line first.
- Immediate danger or medical emergency: Call 911. The ombudsman is not an emergency response line.
- Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation: Call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or report online at txabusehotline.org. That call triggers a protective investigation by the Department of Family and Protective Services.
- Licensing or regulatory complaints about a facility: Call HHS regulatory services at 800-458-9858 for compliance and enforcement actions against licensed facilities.
You can call both the abuse hotline and the ombudsman. Ombudsmen routinely refer abuse and neglect reports to the appropriate state and federal authorities. The distinction is that the abuse hotline opens a protective investigation while the ombudsman focuses on advocacy and resolution.
What To Have Ready Before You Call
You don’t need every piece of this before dialing, but the more you have organized, the faster the office can act.
- Facility or agency name and address: The full name and physical location of the nursing home, assisted living facility, or HHS office involved.
- Timeline of events: Dates when problems started, specific incidents, and any deadlines you’re up against.
- Staff names: Employees, supervisors, or caseworkers you’ve already spoken with.
- Case or ID numbers: Reference numbers from billing statements, intake paperwork, benefits correspondence, or prior complaints.
- What you’ve already tried: The ombudsman generally wants to know whether you used the facility’s or agency’s internal grievance process first.
What the Ombudsman Can and Cannot Do
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s authority comes from federal and state law. Under the federal Older Americans Act, the office identifies, investigates, and resolves complaints made by or on behalf of residents that relate to actions or decisions affecting resident health, safety, welfare, or rights.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 3058g – State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Texas law gives the office authority to use “appropriate administrative, legal, and other remedies” to assist residents, and states that the office “acts independently of the commission in the performance of its powers and duties.”5State of Texas. Texas Human Resources Code Section 101A-254 – Powers and Duties of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Office
You can file a complaint anonymously. Federal law requires ombudsman programs to protect the confidentiality of residents’ records, complainants’ identities, and ombudsman files, and no information about you or the resident is released without permission.
One limit worth knowing before you call: the ombudsman cannot force a facility or agency to take a specific action. The office investigates, recommends corrective steps, and advocates. That advocacy carries weight through the state’s regulatory framework, but the ombudsman is not a court and does not issue binding orders. If the office’s efforts don’t resolve your complaint, you can file a regulatory complaint with HHS at 800-458-9858, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 when abuse or neglect is involved, or consult an attorney about legal claims.