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Trevor Sparrow details plans for new Health and Social Services ombudsman office; confirmation vote set for next day
Summary
Trevor Sparrow, the newly created Idaho Health and Social Services ombudsman, described his background leading the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy and outlined plans to establish an impartial complaint system, hire staff and work with citizen review panels. The committee will vote on his confirmation the following day.
Trevor Sparrow, the newly created Idaho Health and Social Services ombudsman, appeared before the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and outlined immediate priorities for the office, including establishing an impartial investigative process, collecting statewide data on child-welfare concerns and coordinating with citizen review panels.
Sparrow described his background as director of the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy, prior work as a probation and parole officer and a drug-and-alcohol counselor for the Idaho Department of Corrections, and experience in private security investigations. He said he has spent 11 years working with youth at the academy—two years as deputy director and eight as director—and that, during his tenure, the program helped about 2,400 youth obtain GEDs or high-school diplomas.
Sparrow told the committee he has begun setting up office logistics. He said the ombudsman’s office has identified a reporting system to accept complaints online and by phone, is working to secure a deputy ombudsman, and plans to adopt United States Ombudsman Association best practices and have staff certified as professional mediators. He said the office will compile data from citizen review panels and other sources to identify regional trends and chronic problems, and he mentioned interest in examining regional patterns such as incarceration rates among women and how those rates affect foster-care caseloads.
Senator Wintrow asked how Sparrow sees the ombudsman’s relationship with citizen review panels; Sparrow said he expects to work closely with them, use their regional knowledge to investigate localized problems and help aggregate their findings for statewide policy recommendations. Sparrow said he has received contacts from parents and advocacy groups since taking office in December and that an online complaint system will follow as staff are hired.
The committee did not vote on Sparrow’s confirmation at this hearing; members said the formal vote would occur the next day.
