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Sparrow outlines priorities for new Health and Social Services ombudsman office; committee to vote tomorrow
Summary
Trevor Sparrow, the nominee for Idaho’s Health and Social Services ombudsman, told the Senate committee he will prioritize impartial investigations, data-driven recommendations and collaboration with citizen review panels. He described office setup plans and early caseload contacts since starting in December.
Trevor Sparrow, the nominee to serve as Idaho’s Health and Social Services Ombudsman, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee that the new office will focus on advocacy for children in state care, impartial investigations and data collection to identify systemic problems.
Sparrow introduced himself by reviewing his background in corrections and juvenile programs and his 11 years leading the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy. He said the academy helped “approximately 2,400 youth get back on their feet” and described his “commander’s intent” principle of avoiding harm and treating youth with dignity. “At its core, the role of the ombudsman is about advocacy, accountability, and understanding,” Sparrow said.
Sparrow described early office activity since starting in December: he said he has identified a reporting system to accept complaints online and by phone, is working to hire a deputy, and intends the office to adopt standards of the United States Ombudsman Association and certify staff as professional mediators. He said the office has already received inquiries from parents and advocacy groups and that he has been coordinating with leadership at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Senator Melissa Wintrow asked how Sparrow plans to work with existing Citizen Review Panels, which collect case-level information around the state and produce quarterly reports. Sparrow said the panels can both submit complaints and help investigate regional problems; he told the committee that compiling regional data from panels will be “a huge, huge key in making good policy recommendations” to the Legislature and Health and Welfare.
Sparrow also told members he is interested in regional patterns that affect family stability, including incarceration rates among women and the downstream impact on foster care, and that Citizen Review Panels could help investigate such regional variations.
Members thanked Sparrow for his work at the Youth Challenge Academy; several said they would take up the confirmation vote the following day. The committee did not vote on the appointment at the hearing.
