New Health and Social Services ombudsman outlines remit for foster‑care complaints and requests higher personnel funding

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee heard from the new Office of Health and Social Services Ombudsman and Legislative Services Office staff about the office’s early setup, staffing and a personnel funding request on Jan. 15.

LSO analyst Alex Williamson reminded the committee the office was created last session by the Legislature (presentation materials cite "Senate Bill 13 80") and is charged with monitoring the compliance of public and private entities that provide health and social services for children in state care. Williamson said the office was appropriated three full‑time positions and $470,000 total for FY2025 (the transcript indicates $450,000 ongoing in some slides; the appropriation package includes $20,000 one‑time capital outlay in the first year to stand up the office).

Williamson said the governor supports an ongoing personnel increase after the Department of Human Resources recommended raising personnel dollars to recruit and retain qualified staff, suggesting hiring above 80% of policy salary guidelines for these positions. The analyst said roughly $395,000 of the ongoing appropriation is allocated for personnel costs.

Trevor Sparrow, the ombudsman appointed by the governor on Nov. 27, described the office’s scope: accepting complaints from parents, foster parents and other interested parties about Idaho’s foster‑care system; investigating individual complaints; conducting agency reviews and broader investigative reports; and making recommendations to agencies and to the Legislature. Sparrow said the office primarily will focus on the foster care system but, “as a law is written we can also—any residential agency where children in the state are being housed, including juvenile corrections, we can investigate complaints there as well.”

Sparrow told the committee the office is using the United States Ombudsman Association standards and intends to build a multidisciplinary team that could include legal, nursing and social‑work expertise. He said the office can also work with citizen review panels and mentioned using volunteer panels to help research systemic issues, including links between high rates of incarcerated women and children entering foster care.

Committee members asked Sparrow how the office would coordinate with existing entities; he said he has met with Health and Welfare staff and the deputy director and that short‑term congregate care placements have ended, according to his discussions with agency leadership. Sparrow closed by reiterating standards and the multidisciplinary staffing approach as reasons for the personnel request.

The presentation included an LSO‑prepared memo that addressed the ombudsman’s interim report requirements (the analyst cited a memo submitted to meet interim report requirements referenced in "Senate Bill 14 59 of 2024" in the committee materials). No formal committee action was taken at the hearing; the session provided time for members to ask technical questions about the office’s scope and staffing needs.