October 2, 2013, Introduced by Rep. Kurtz and referred to the Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 204, entitled
"The children's ombudsman act,"
by amending sections 4, 5a, 6, and 10 (MCL 722.924, 722.925a,
722.926, and 722.930), sections 4 and 10 as amended by 2004 PA 560
and sections 5a and 6 as amended by 2013 PA 38.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 4. (1) The ombudsman shall establish procedures for the
office for budgeting, expending money, and employing personnel
according to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL
18.1101 to 18.1594. Subject to annual appropriations, the ombudsman
shall employ sufficient personnel to carry out the duties and
powers prescribed by this act.
(2) The ombudsman shall establish procedures for receiving and
processing complaints from complainants and individuals not meeting
the definition of complainant, conducting investigations, holding
informal hearings, and reporting findings and recommendations
resulting from investigations.
(3) Personnel employed by the office of the children's
ombudsman shall receive mandatory training conducted by the
Michigan domestic violence prevention and treatment board in
domestic violence and in handling complaints of child abuse or
child neglect that involve a history of domestic violence.
(4) Any individual may submit a complaint to the ombudsman.
The ombudsman has the sole discretion and authority to determine if
a complaint falls within his or her duties and powers to
investigate and if a complaint involves an administrative act. The
ombudsman may initiate an investigation without receiving a
complaint. The ombudsman may initiate an investigation upon receipt
of a complaint from an individual not meeting the definition of
complainant. An individual not meeting the definition of
complainant is not entitled to receive information under this act
as if he or she is a complainant. The individual is entitled to
receive the recommendations of the ombudsman and the department's
response to the recommendations of the ombudsman in accordance with
state and federal law. During the course of an investigation, the
ombudsman may refer a case to the department if the ombudsman
determines that the department received a complaint on the case,
but did not conduct a field investigation. If the ombudsman refers
a case to the department, the department shall conduct a field
investigation of the case or provide notice to the ombudsman why a
field investigation was not conducted, or what alternative steps
may have been taken to address the situation. If a field
investigation has been conducted, the department shall report the
results to the ombudsman.
(5) The ombudsman shall notify the department of any immediate
safety concerns regarding a child or children who are part of an
active or open child protective services or foster care case. This
notification shall occur as soon as possible, but not later than 1
business day after the ombudsman becomes aware of the concerns.
Sec. 5a. The children's ombudsman has the authority to do all
of the following:
(a) Pursue all necessary action, including, but not limited
to, legal action, to protect the rights and welfare of a child
under the jurisdiction, control, or supervision of the department,
the Michigan children's institute, the family division of circuit
court under section 2(a)(1) of chapter XIIA of the probate code of
1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.2, a child caring institution, or a
child placing agency.
(b) Pursue legislative advocacy in the best interests of
children.
(c) Review policies and procedures relating to the
department's involvement with children and make recommendations for
improvement.
(d) In the course of a child fatality investigation, request
and be permitted access to any of the following:
(i) Records from the court of jurisdiction, attorney general,
prosecuting attorney, or any attorney retained by the department.
(ii) Reports from a county child fatality review team.
Sec. 6. (1) The ombudsman may do all of the following in
relation to a child who may be a victim of child abuse or child
neglect, including a child who may have died as a result of
suspected child abuse or child neglect:
(a) Upon his or her own initiative or upon receipt of a
complaint, investigate an administrative act that is alleged to be
contrary to law or rule, contrary to policy of the department or a
child placing agency, imposed without an adequate statement of
reason, or based on irrelevant, immaterial, or erroneous grounds.
The ombudsman has sole discretion to determine if a complaint
involves an administrative act.
(b) Decide, in his or her discretion, whether to investigate
an administrative act.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, access
records and reports necessary to carry out the ombudsman's powers
and duties under this act to the same extent and in the same manner
as provided to the department under the provisions of the child
protection law. The ombudsman shall be provided access to medical
records in the same manner as access is provided to the department
under section 16281 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL
333.16281. The ombudsman shall be provided access to substance
abuse records and mental health records in the same manner as
access is provided to the department in chapter 2A and section 748a
of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1260 to 330.1287
and 330.1748a, subject to section 9. The ombudsman is subject to
the same standards for safeguarding the confidentiality of
information under this section and the same sanctions for
unauthorized release of information as the department.
(d)
Beginning on the effective date of the 2013 amendatory act
that
amended this section, request Request
a subpoena from a court
requiring the production of a record or report necessary to carry
out the ombudsman's duties and powers. If the person to whom a
subpoena is issued fails or refuses to produce the record or
report, the ombudsman may petition the court for enforcement of the
subpoena.
(e) Hold informal hearings and request that individuals appear
before the ombudsman and give testimony or produce documentary or
other evidence that the ombudsman considers relevant to a matter
under investigation.
(f) Make recommendations to the governor and the legislature
concerning the need for children's protective services, adoption,
or foster care legislation, policy, or practice without prior
review by other offices, departments, or agencies in the executive
branch in order to facilitate rapid implementation of
recommendations or for suggested improvements to the
recommendations. No other office, department, or agency shall
prohibit the release of an ombudsman's recommendation to the
governor or the legislature.
(g) Investigate all child fatality cases that occurred or are
alleged to have occurred due to child abuse or child neglect
including any of the following situations:
(i) A child died during an active child protective services
investigation or open services case, or there was an assigned or
rejected child protective services complaint within 24 months
immediately preceding the child's death.
(ii) A child died while in foster care, unless the death
resulted from natural causes and there were no prior child
protective services or licensing complaints concerning the foster
home.
(iii) A child was returned home from foster care and there is an
active foster care case.
(iv) The foster care case involving the deceased child or
sibling was closed within 24 months immediately preceding the
child's death.
(2) Subject to state appropriations, an investigation under
subsection (1)(g) shall be completed within 12 months after the
ombudsman opens a child fatality case for investigation.
Sec. 10. (1) The ombudsman shall prepare a report of the
factual findings of an investigation and make recommendations to
the department or the child placing agency if the ombudsman finds 1
or more of the following:
(a) A matter should be further considered by the department or
the child placing agency.
(b) An administrative act or omission should be modified,
canceled, or corrected.
(c) Reasons should be given for an administrative act or
omission.
(d) Other action should be taken by the department or the
child placing agency.
(2) Before announcing a conclusion or recommendation that
expressly or by implication criticizes an individual, the
department, or a child placing agency, the ombudsman shall consult
with that individual, the department, or the child placing agency.
When publishing an opinion adverse to the department or child
placing agency, the ombudsman shall include in the publication any
statement of reasonable length made to the ombudsman by the
department or child placing agency in defense or mitigation of the
action. The ombudsman may request to be notified by the department
or child placing agency, within a specified time, of any action
taken on any recommendation presented.
(3) The ombudsman shall notify the complainant of the actions
taken by the ombudsman and by the department or child placing
agency.
(4) The ombudsman may provide to the complainant the following
information:
(a) A copy of the ombudsman's report regarding the
investigation's findings, recommendations to the department made
according to the investigation, the department's response to the
ombudsman's findings and recommendations, and any epilogue to the
ombudsman's report and the department's response.
(b) Information that has otherwise been made public.
(5) The ombudsman shall not release information to the
individual making the complaint that will endanger the health or
welfare of a child or another individual.
(6) With respect to a case investigated under section 6(1)(g),
and upon review of records or other information from those entities
listed in section 5a(d), the ombudsman shall provide any necessary
recommendations for improving systemic issues that are discovered
during the investigation of the child fatality. The recommendations
may be provided to the court of jurisdiction, the county child
fatality review team, medical professionals, or attorneys or other
legal professionals involved with the particular child who died.
The recommendations shall also be summarized and included in the
annual report referenced in subsection (7).
(7) (6)
The ombudsman shall submit to the
governor, the
director of the department, and the legislature an annual report on
the ombudsman's conduct, including any recommendations regarding
the need for legislation or for change in rules or policies.