Michigan child advocate outlines authority, child-death review process and training needs for MDHHS

Ryan Bridal, Michigan’s Child Advocate, told the House Families and Veterans Committee that the Office of Child Advocate investigates complaints tied to child welfare programs administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, conducts child-death reviews for cases where MDHHS had prior contact with a family, and can take steps — including contacting department staff in real time — to seek compliance with law, administrative rules and department policy.

Bridal said the office, housed administratively in the Department of Technology, Management and Budget, reviews roughly 350 to 400 child-death alerts a year — out of about 1,000 child deaths statewide — that involve families with prior department contact. “We’re just getting notified of the ones where the department had interaction with that family prior to the death,” Bridal said. He described the office’s role as producing findings and recommendations from long-term investigations and, when necessary, intervening during an active case to correct actions as they occur.

The office’s annual report and a binded compilation of findings and recommendations were…