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Minnesota Agencies

Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library


Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities

Active dates:2006 -
Function:

The ombudsman for persons receiving services or treatment for mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, or emotional disturbance shall promote the highest attainable standards of treatment, competence, efficiency, and justice.

History:

This independent agency was created in 1987, in part as a result of the federal Welsch Consent Decree, to promote the highest attainable standards for treatment, competence, efficiency, and justice for persons receiving care and treatment for mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, and emotional disturbance from a Minnesota agency, facility, or program.

In 2005 the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Mental Retardation was renamed the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.

The Governor also appoints a 15 member Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to advise the Ombudsman. From this group a Medical Review Subcommittee is selected to work with office staff in the review of deaths and serious injuries. The Ombudsman, after consultation with the Governor, can go public with findings and recommendations.

Documents/Articles:
Governor Walz Selects Lisa Harrison-Hadler as Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. News Release (Governor Tim Walz), 2/9/2024.
Walz, Flanagan announce appointment to the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, 11/15/2021.
News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 2014.
Record last updated: 12/16/2021
 

All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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