Diamond introduces bill to strengthen Child Welfare Ombudsman

State Sen. Bill Diamond

AUGUSTA – Senator Bill Diamond, D-Windham, has introduced a bill to strengthen the office of the Maine Child Welfare Ombudsman by providing for additional staffing.

LD 1812, “An Act To Strengthen the Child Welfare Services Ombudsman Program by Providing for Increased Staffing,” was the subject of a public hearing last week before the Maine Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee.

“The Child Welfare Ombudsman is the only independent and reliable connection the public and the Legislature has to the behind-the-scenes workings of Maine’s child protection system,” Diamond said. “The Ombudsman serves a critical role in investigating the ongoing problems within the system and sharing the results of those investigations in her annual reports. The Ombudsman is also responsible for helping the public resolve complaints with Maine’s child welfare system, and the Ombudsman’s office is currently struggling under a high volume of complaints. With additional staff, the office will be able to execute its critical role in our child welfare system much more effectively, and Maine kids will be safer because of it.”

If passed, LD 1812 would provide ongoing funding to increase the staffing in the Office of the Maine Child Welfare Services Ombudsman by adding two associate ombudsman positions and one administrative assistant position.

The Ombudsman’s office is currently staffed by the Ombudsman and one associate ombudsman, meaning this critical office is currently operating with only two staff people and no administrative support. 

Diamond’s LD 1812 bill now faces further action in committee. <