Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-1-1949.4

The State Department of Health or, as appropriate, the State

Commissioner of Health shall:

1. Develop and apply standards for approval of training and

education programs for long-term care administrators that meet the

accreditation standards of the National Association of Long Term

Care Administrator Boards and approve or offer training and

education programs, or both, as described in subsection F of Section

1-1949.3 of this title;

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2. Develop, impose, and enforce standards which must be met by

individuals in order to receive a license or certification as a

long-term care administrator, which standards shall be designed to

ensure that long-term care administrators will be individuals who

are of good character and are otherwise suitable, and who, by

training or experience in the field of institutional administration,

are qualified to serve as long-term care administrators;

3. Develop and apply appropriate techniques, including

examinations and investigations, for determining whether an

individual meets such standards;

4. Issue licenses or certifications to individuals determined,

after the application of such techniques, to meet such standards.

The Department may deny an initial application, deny a renewal

application, and revoke or suspend licenses or certifications

previously issued by the Department in any case where the individual

holding any such license or certification is determined

substantially to have failed to conform to the requirements of such

standards. The Department may also warn, censure, impose

administrative fines, or use other remedies that may be considered

to be less than revocation and suspension. Administrative fines

imposed pursuant to this section shall not exceed One Thousand

Dollars ($1,000.00) per violation. The Department shall consider

the scope, severity, and repetition of the violation and any

additional factors deemed appropriate by the Department when issuing

a fine. The Department may utilize one or more administrative law

judges to conduct administrative proceedings;

5. Establish and carry out procedures designed to ensure that

individuals licensed or certified as long-term care administrators

will, during any period that they serve as such, comply with the

requirements of such standards;

6. Receive, investigate, and take appropriate action with

respect to any charge or complaint filed with the Department to the

effect that any individual licensed as a long-term care

administrator has failed to comply with the requirements of such

standards. The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman shall

be notified of all complaint investigations of the Department so

that they may be present at any such complaint investigation for the

purpose of representing long-term care facility consumers;

7. Receive and take appropriate action on any complaint or

referral received by the Department from the Department of Human

Services or any other regulatory agency. A complaint shall not be

published on the website of the Department unless there is a finding

by the Department that the complaint has merit. The Commissioner

shall promulgate rules that include, but are not limited to,

provisions for:

a. establishing a complaint review process,

b. creating a formal complaint file,

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c. establishing a protocol for investigation of

complaints, and

d. establishing an independent informal dispute

resolution process in accordance with Section 1-1949.7

of this title;

8. Enforce the provisions of the Long-Term Care Administrator

Licensing Act against all persons who are in violation thereof

including, but not limited to, individuals who are practicing or

attempting to practice as long-term care administrators without

proper authorization from the Department;

9. Conduct a continuing study and investigation of long-term
with Section 1-1949.7

of this title;

8. Enforce the provisions of the Long-Term Care Administrator

Licensing Act against all persons who are in violation thereof

including, but not limited to, individuals who are practicing or

attempting to practice as long-term care administrators without

proper authorization from the Department;

9. Conduct a continuing study and investigation of long-term

care facilities and administrators of long-term care facilities

within the state with a view toward the improvement of the standards

imposed for the licensing or certifying of such administrators and

of procedures and methods for the enforcement of such standards with

respect to administrators of long-term care facilities who have been

licensed or certified;

10. Cooperate with and provide assistance when necessary to

state regulatory agencies in investigations of complaints;

11. Develop a code of ethics for long-term care administrators

which includes, but is not limited to, a statement that

administrators have a fiduciary duty to the facility and cannot

serve as guardian of the person or of the estate, or hold a durable

power of attorney or power of attorney for any resident of a

facility of which they are an administrator;

12. Report a final adverse action against a long-term care

administrator to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank

pursuant to federal regulatory requirements;

13. Refer completed investigations to the proper law

enforcement authorities for prosecution of criminal activities;

14. Impose administrative fines, in an amount to be determined

by the Commissioner, against persons who do not comply with the

provisions of the Long-Term Care Administrator Licensing Act or the

rules adopted by the Commissioner. Administrative fines imposed

pursuant to this section shall not exceed One Thousand Dollars

($1,000.00) per violation. The Department shall consider the scope,

severity, and repetition of the violation and any additional factors

deemed appropriate by the Department when issuing a fine;

15. Assess the costs of the hearing process, including attorney

fees;

16. Grant short-term provisional licenses to individuals who do

not meet all of the licensing requirements, provided the individual

obtains the services of a currently licensed administrator to act as

a consultant and meets any additional criteria for a provisional

license established by the Commissioner;

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17. Promulgate rules governing the employment of assistant

administrators including, but not limited to, minimum

qualifications; and

18. Employ such staff as may be necessary to carry out the

duties of the Long-Term Care Administrator Licensing Act.