OAKLAND, CA – Consumer Voice announced yesterday that Eric Carlson of the National Senior Citizens Law Center has been awarded the Toby S. Edelman Legal Justice Award for his commitment to advocating for the rights of long-term care consumers, and for his deep expertise in the issues surrounding long-term care.

“I’m honored to receive this award. The Consumer Voice and Toby Edelman each have been tireless in protecting and supporting long-term care consumers, and it has been my privilege for many years to work with them,” said Carlson.

The Toby S. Edelman Legal Justice Award was created in 2009 to recognize individuals who, working through or with the legal system, go to extraordinary lengths to achieve justice for long-term care consumers. Eric Carlson was given the award for expertise in the laws governing nursing homes, assisted living, and home and community based services; his leadership and support of other advocates; and his effective administrative advocacy on behalf of consumers.

“We are fortunate to have individuals like Eric Carlson working to secure rights and improve conditions for long-term care consumers,” said Richard Galula, Executive Director of Consumer Voice. “Eric, as well as all of this year’s Consumer Voice award winners, are leading examples of the thousands of people who strive to improve long-term care and make it responsive to the people who are depending upon these services.”

Carlson currently leads NSCLC’s initiative to reform California’s Assisted Living program, as well as the organization’s work to ensure that Medicaid recipients have access to Home and Community Based Services under managed care. He is a nationally recognized expert on nursing homes and author of 20 Common Nursing Home Problems—and How to Resolve Them, a publication from NSCLC with support from The Commonwealth Fund. Carlson currently serves as president of the National Assisted Living Consumer Alliance, and is also the author of the legal treatise, Long-Term Care Advocacy (Matthew Bender and Co.)

The award was given during Consumer Voice’s 38th Annual Conference at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia on Sunday, November 16. Other awardees include Kathy Keegan Clare co-founder, Family Council at Belvoir Woods, VA, who received the Janet Tulloch Memorial Advocacy Award; Janet Tadsen, Associate Ombudsman for Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, who received the Howard Hinds Memorial Award; Jacqueline Majoros, Vermont state LTC Ombudsman, and Esther Houser, Oklahoma state LTC Ombudsman, who received the Cernorial Johnson Memorial Advocacy Award; Cathy Hurwit, Chief of Staff for Representative Jan Schakowsky, who received the Janet Wells Public Policy Leadership Award; and Kathy Greenlee, Administrator, Administration for Community Living, Assistant Secretary, Administration on Aging, who received the Elma Holder Founder’s Award.