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Trevor Sparrow outlines plans for Idaho Health and Social Services ombudsman office; committee to vote later
Summary
Trevor Sparrow, nominated as the Idaho Health and Social Services ombudsman, described his background in youth services, plans for impartial complaint intake and data analysis, and intent to work with citizen review panels; the committee will hold a confirmation vote at a later meeting.
Trevor Sparrow, nominee for the newly created Idaho Health and Social Services ombudsman office, told a Senate committee he intends to focus on advocacy, impartial investigations and data-driven recommendations for child-welfare systems.
Sparrow described his background: he said he was a probation and parole officer, a drug-and-alcohol counselor for the Idaho Department of Corrections and spent 11 years at the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy—two years as deputy director and eight years as director. “For the last 11 years, I've done this, for the youth of the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy in Pierce,” Sparrow said. He told the committee the academy helped “approximately 2,400 youth get back on their feet” during his tenure.
Sparrow said the ombudsman office will house an impartial complaint system (online and by phone), adopt best practices from the United States Ombudsman Association, require staff mediation certification, and compile data to identify systemic trends. “We have identified a system that can help us…make sure that we collect all that data because that's gonna be a huge, huge key in making good policy recommendations,” he said.
On working with existing citizen review panels, Sparrow said he plans to collaborate and use regional panel findings to detect patterns and make statewide recommendations. He told the committee he has already been contacted by parents and advocacy groups and that he expects to hire a deputy soon.
Committee members expressed support and asked about statutory constraints and the panels’ authority. Senator Wintrow asked whether changes to the statute governing citizen review panels might be needed to improve their operation; Sparrow said preliminary review suggested “room for improvement” in organization, supervision and funding for the regional panels.
The committee did not take a confirmation vote at this meeting; the chair said the committee will vote on Sparrow’s confirmation at a subsequent session.
