Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 43.06A · 12 active provisions
There is hereby created an office of the family and children's ombuds within the office of the governor for the purpose of promoting public awareness and understanding of family, youth, and children services provided by the department of children, youth, and families, identifying system issues and responses for the gov…
(1) Subject to confirmation by the senate, the governor shall appoint an ombuds who shall be a person of recognized judgment, independence, objectivity, and integrity, and shall be qualified by training or experience, or both, in family and children's services law and policy. Prior to the appointment, the governor shal…
(1) The ombuds shall perform the following duties:(a) Provide information as appropriate on the rights and responsibilities of individuals receiving services from the department of children, youth, and families, including family, youth, and children's services, juvenile justice, juvenile rehabilitation, and child early…
The ombuds shall treat all matters under investigation, including the identities of service recipients, complainants, and individuals from whom information is acquired, as confidential, except as far as disclosures may be necessary to enable the ombuds to perform the duties of the office and to support any recommendati…
Neither the ombuds nor the ombuds's staff may be compelled, in any judicial or administrative proceeding, to testify or to produce evidence regarding the exercise of the official duties of the ombuds or of the ombuds's staff. All related memoranda, work product, notes, and case files of the ombuds's office are confiden…
Identifying information about complainants or witnesses shall not be subject to any method of legal compulsion, nor shall such information be revealed to the oversight board for children, youth, and families or the governor except under the following circumstances: (1) The complainant or witness waives confidentiality;…
The privilege described in RCW 43.06A.060 does not apply when:(1) The ombuds or ombuds's staff member has direct knowledge of an alleged crime, and the testimony, evidence, or discovery sought is relevant to that allegation;(2) The ombuds or a member of the ombuds's staff has received a threat of, or becomes aware of a…
(1) An employee of the office of the family and children's ombuds is not liable for good faith performance of responsibilities under this chapter.(2) No discriminatory, disciplinary, or retaliatory action may be taken against an employee of the department, an employee of a contracting agency of the department, a foster…
When the ombuds or ombuds's staff member has reasonable cause to believe that any public official, employee, or other person has acted in a manner warranting criminal or disciplinary proceedings, the ombuds or ombuds's staff member shall report the matter, or cause a report to be made, to the appropriate authorities.
(1) The department of children, youth, and families shall:(a) Allow the ombuds or the ombuds's designee to communicate privately with any child or person in the custody of the department of children, youth, and families, or any child or person who is part of a near fatality investigation by the department of children,…
The office of the family and children's ombuds shall issue an annual report to the legislature on the status of the implementation of child fatality review recommendations.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to conflict with the duty to report specified in RCW 26.44.030.