Last verified: October 2026
Who do you call about a problem in a Tucson assisted living facility?
For a care or resident-rights problem, call the long-term care ombudsman at Pima Council on Aging, (520) 790-7262; for a licensing violation, file a complaint with ADHS online; for suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, call Adult Protective Services at 1-877-SOS-ADULT (1-877-767-2385).
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 first. You can contact more than one office about the same problem; they coordinate.
What does the Pima County long-term care ombudsman do?
PCOA's staff and volunteer ombudsmen visit assisted living and nursing home residents in Pima County, advocate for residents' rights, and give residents a confidential way to raise complaints and concerns.
Every long-term care facility in Pima County must post the ombudsman's contact poster in English and Spanish. Email LTCO@pcoa.org or call (520) 790-7262.
Sources: PCOA Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
How do you file a complaint with ADHS?
Use the online complaint form on the ADHS Residential Facilities Licensing page; the department investigates, and if it confirms a violation the complaint investigation appears on the facility's AZ Care Check record with its statement of deficiencies.
In Pima County, 587 of the 1,048 listed inspections of active assisted living facilities included a complaint investigation. Include dates, names and what you saw; ADHS does not need you to prove the violation.
Sources: ADHS Residential Facilities Licensing.
When should you call Adult Protective Services?
Call Arizona Adult Protective Services at 1-877-SOS-ADULT (1-877-767-2385) when you suspect abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, whether at home or in a facility.
For scams and fraud aimed at older adults, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). PCOA's Elder Rights and Benefits staff can also help people over 60 with creditors, landlord disputes and benefits paperwork.
What about a nursing home complaint?
Nursing homes in Arizona are licensed by ADHS and certified by CMS, so a complaint goes to ADHS, and the ombudsman covers nursing home residents as well; confirmed problems appear in the facility's CMS inspection record on Medicare Care Compare.
How Arizona nursing homes are licensed and rated →
Can you complain anonymously in Arizona?
Yes. ADHS and Adult Protective Services accept reports without the reporter's name, and ombudsman conversations are confidential, though giving contact details lets investigators follow up.
Who handles what in Pima County
| Handles | Does not handle | |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term care ombudsman (PCOA) | resident rights, disputes, discharge problems | license enforcement |
| ADHS | licensing violations and inspections | billing disputes between families |
| Adult Protective Services | abuse, neglect, exploitation | routine care complaints |
