Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Auditors find Minnesota Ombudsperson for Families fell short on duties, lawmakers urged to act
Summary
A Legislative Audit Commission hearing on Jan. 29 reviewed an OLA program evaluation that found the Office of Ombudsperson for Families has broad statutory duties but limited staff and weak complaint documentation; auditors recommended statutory clarification, improved data and a single leader for accountability. OBFF officials said they agree and cited staffing and system failures.
The Legislative Audit Commission on Jan. 29 heard an Office of Legislative Auditor (OLA) program evaluation that concluded Minnesota's Office of Ombudsperson for Families (OBFF) has not consistently fulfilled statutory duties and lacks adequate documentation and oversight.
Deputy Legislative Auditor Jody Munson Rodriguez and evaluation manager Caitlin Badger told the commission that OBFF is required by statute to monitor agency compliance with child-protection laws affecting children of color, work with state courts and advise on culturally appropriate services, but that the office’s responsibilities are broad relative to its resources. "We found that the office has not always fulfilled that role effectively in recent years," Badger said during the presentation.
The auditors highlighted several core findings: OBFF has a small staff (three ombudspersons plus four other employees) and a FY2025 appropriation of $845,000; the office reported roughly 500 complaints and inquiries in 2023 but said it conducted only 33 investigations that year, a figure auditors could not verify because of inconsistent documentation;…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
