Senate Bill No. introduced by D. Lenz aims to revise laws related to the Office of the Child and Family Ombudsman by enhancing its personnel and expanding its powers and duties. The bill mandates the ombudsman to provide timely responses to individuals seeking assistance and to actively help resolve issues identified during investigations. Additionally, it requires the ombudsman to forward reports of alleged violations of Department of Public Health and Human Services policies to the Department of Justice. The bill also includes provisions for hiring additional staff, such as intake and outreach specialists, associate ombudsmen, and research and data analysts.

Furthermore, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated, specifically sections 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, and 41-3-1215, while repealing section 41-3-1213. The amendments clarify the ombudsman's responsibilities, including the oversight of child protective services and the analysis of trends in case handling. The ombudsman is tasked with providing recommendations to improve the child protective services system and ensuring accountability from the department regarding the implementation of these recommendations.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1(1): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1(2): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1(3): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1(4): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1(5): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_1: 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(1): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(10): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(11): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(12): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(2): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(3): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(4): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(5): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(6): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(7): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(8): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2(9): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_2: 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(1): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(10): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(11): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(2): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(3): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(4): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(5): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(6): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(7): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(8): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3(9): 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215
SB0250_3: 41-3-1208, 41-3-1211, 41-3-1215