200:. Through the Navy Ombudsman Program, communication between the spouses of active duty personnel and the command is kept open, thereby improving the quality of life for everyone involved. The Navy command ombudsman is a voluntary position, and seeks to ensure that the dependents of active duty personnel have a channel of resources for their needs and quality of life. A command ombudsman aims to guide those who use the service to the help they may need, before, during or after a deployment. The Navy Ombudsman undergoes almost constant training, and is bound by confidentiality except in relation to allegations of child abuse. An ombudsman meets with department heads aboard a naval installation to find out the latest news, and pass it on, including news on ship deployments, cutting down on potentially harmful gossip.
313:
personal care homes, centers for the aging (outpatient), and the like. These ombudsmen are trained and taught that they "work for the aged", not the personnel managing the facilities. They act as advocates for the residents or attendees when complaints or disputes arise between the aging and the management. If no resolution can be worked-out locally, the matter in dispute is carried higher, first to district officials and, if necessary, to the state, often involving the state licensing agency that oversees the facility in question.
342:, the state's most populous city. The Office investigates complaints regarding the administrative conduct of King County agencies, and alleged violations of county codes dealing with employee ethics, whistleblower protection, and lobbyist disclosure. The King County Ombudsman is appointed to a renewable five-year term by the King County Council and is removable mid-term only for cause.
151:
annual report to the House and Senate
Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Appropriations, identifying trends raised by individuals in detention and their representatives; detention facility compliance with detention standards, laws, and policies; and recommendations made to other DHS components on addressing systemic issues.
308:
in 1996. This office advises citizens on property rights, and helps resolve disputes arising between property owners and government agencies acquiring property. The Office is authorized to mediate between property owners and government agencies, arbitrate disputes, and issue advisory opinions on land
131:
standards or misconduct by DHS (or contract) personnel; provides independent oversight of immigration detention facilities, including conducting announced and unannounced inspections, and reviewing contract terms for immigration detention facilities and services; and serves as an independent office
110:
The
Ombudsman assists individuals and employers in resolving problems with USCIS; identifies areas where individuals and employers have problems dealing with USCIS; and proposes changes to mitigate identified problems. The Ombudsman submits an annual report to the House and Senate Committees on the
208:
Since 1967 at least five state legislatures and one territorial legislature have established and continued to employ a full-time ombudsman. These states are Hawaii, Nebraska, Alaska, Iowa and
Arizona, and the U.S. territory is Puerto Rico. Many other states have ombudsmen appointed by, and located
183:
Ombudsman seeks to ensure that the agency fulfils its regulatory responsibilities well. In the short term, the Office is dedicated to facilitating problem resolution. In the long term, the Office looks at issues systematically in order to make the process work better. Thus it welcomes more general
150:
OIDO assists individuals in administrative immigration custody, as well as their families, attorneys, and advocates with concerns around the conditions of immigration detention. The
Ombudsman issues reports about its detention oversight investigations, audits, and contract reviews, and submits an
312:
Most states, as well as Puerto Rico, have an
Ombudsman associated with its State Department of Aging (or similar). Within these states are AAAs (Area Agencies on Aging), most often headed by a paid manager of a volunteer network of ombudsmen assigned to such facilities as skilled nursing homes,
217:
To receive complaints from the public and from persons working in government; to investigate; and where appropriate to negotiate remedial action with the agencies involved. A secondary duty is to answer questions and assist people with problems relating to government.
286:
employs an ombudsman "charged with authority to undertake independent, and in certain cases confidential, fact-finding in response to external or internal complaints or questions about the
Department's performance." The office is currently held by Thomas
212:
The job description for state offices of ombudsmen invariably involves the trouble-shooting function of investigating citizen complaints concerning specific acts by government agencies. For example, in
Nebraska the ombudsman's duties are as follows:
48:. This informal job has become increasingly time-consuming. It is subject to criticism on the grounds that it interferes with a legislator's primary duty, namely to read and be knowledgeable about a bill before casting his or her vote.
350:
The City of
Seattle plans to have an Office of Employee Ombuds established in January 2019. Compared to the county ombudsman, the city ombudsman will play less of an investigative role and more of advocative role.
114:
The First
Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (2003–08) was Prakash Khatri. During his tenure, he delivered four annual reports to Congress, including over 70 recommendations for improvements to USCIS.
432:
can be found in organizations across the United States. Many organizational ombudsmen can also be found in colleges and universities. The longest standing
Organizational Ombudsman's office is located at
111:
Judiciary, focusing on systemic issues that cause delay in granting immigration benefits as well as pervasive and serious problems faced by individuals and employers in their interactions with USCIS.
338:, in the Home Rule Charter of 1968, and operates as an independent office within the legislative branch of King County government. King County is the most populous county in Washington and includes
44:
At the federal level, there is no unified ombudsman service. The role of handling complaints against federal authorities has to some extent been unofficially incorporated into the role of the U.S.
382:
is the ombudsman for residents of New York City. It investigates and responds to telephone and written complaints/queries regarding city agency services, providing information and referrals.
321:
is under the Legislative Branch's jurisdiction, four specialized ombudsmen offices (Aging, Veterans, Health and Disabilities) fall under the Executive Branch's Office of Ombudsmen Offices.
159:
The Department of Education has an Office of the Ombudsman, which works with federal student loan borrowers to resolve loan disputes or problems from an impartial, independent viewpoint.
890:
100:
168:
124:
96:
455:- United States Ombudsman Association (USOA) - Promoting and supporting fairness, accountability, and equity in government through the public sector ombudsman
144:
885:
290:
51:
Several ombudsman services have been created as complaint-handling units housed within, but operationally independent from, specific federal authorities.
128:
248:
ombudsman whose duties include advocacy for residents of nursing homes and supplemental programs developed to protect long term care residents' rights.
99:(DHS) Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) provides recommendations for resolving individual and employer problems with the
614:
136:
80:
68:
367:
226:
State of Hawaii Office of the Ombudsman: independently and impartially investigates complaints against state and county agencies and employees
107:
of 2002 § 452, the CIS Ombudsman is not a part of USCIS, but an independent DHS office which reports directly to the DHS Deputy Secretary.
394:
Office of the Ombudsman works as an independent oversight agency to provide individuals with a confidential avenue to address complaints.
370:. This department was the first of its kind in the state of California and the first nationally involved in law enforcement oversight.
140:
658:
28:
are independent agencies who assist when a dispute arises between individuals and industry bodies or government agencies. Government
467:- The International Ombuds Association (IOA) - a professional organization committed to supporting organizational ombuds worldwide
72:
363:
127:(DHS) Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) assists individuals with complaints about the potential violation of
533:
84:
64:
820:
636:
379:
180:
417:
713:
590:
517:
434:
76:
505:
429:
71:
as having the responsibility to submit annual reports to Congress without any prior review or comment from the
60:
318:
335:
257:
622:
449:- Coalition of Federal Ombudsman (COFO) - promoting and assisting ombuds in federal government institutions
317:
In the case of Puerto Rico, while the main Ombudsman's office, created in 1977 in a statute signed by Gov.
529:
411:
104:
298:
has an Office of Employer Ombudsman to aid in employer-related Unemployment Insurance Agency questions.
45:
526:
403:
360:
193:
171:(EPA) has an ombudsman to facilitate communication between small business owners and the agency.
33:
794:
679:, 2d. ed. (Berkeley: University of California, Institute of Governmental Studies, 1978), p. 162.
554:
Department of Homeland Security, "Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman"
566:
662:
407:
245:
807:
135:
As mandated by the 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act, OIDO is not a part of either
879:
197:
782:
501:
283:
644:
36:
services, and are a means of resolving disputes outside of the court systems.
844:
91:
Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
868:
461:- The National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP)
119:
Department of Homeland Security Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman
273:
29:
19:
537:
295:
184:
complaints, comments, and suggestions about FDA's regulatory processes.
391:
339:
717:
268:
Other states have ombudsmen specific to particular issues, including:
256:
Most states have a children's advocate or ombudsman service: see main
821:"Coming soon for Seattle city workers facing harassment: an advocate"
464:
277:
689:
553:
770:
Website of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center:
470:
406:- In October 2007, journalist, author, media critic and educator
305:
196:
implemented an ombudsman program in 1970, under the direction of
334:
The King County Ombudsman's Office was created by the voters of
301:
63:
to act as an ombudsman for the taxpayer. Renamed in 1996 as the
771:
32:
services are free to the public, like many other ombudsman and
856:
502:
Taxation - Report of the National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson
452:
143:, but an independent DHS office which reports directly to the
59:
In 1979 the Taxpayer Ombudsman Office was created within the
366:
was created via the approval of an ordinance in 1993 by the
751:
473:- The Organization of News Ombudsmen and Standards Editors
278:
Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
731:
458:
132:
to review and resolve problems stemming from the same.
284:
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
518:
446:
101:United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
591:"6 USC 205: Ombudsman for immigration detention"
410:began a three-year appointment as Ombudsman for
677:Ombudsmen Around the World: A Comparative Chart
567:"Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman"
8:
891:Consumer organizations in the United States
690:"State of Hawaii - Office of the Ombudsman"
291:Washington State Office of Education Ombuds
869:https://detroitmi.gov/government/ombudsman
67:, this office has a unique role with the
783:RI DEM/Office of the Ombudsman Home Page
137:U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
808:King County Ombudsman, Washington State
482:
368:Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
306:Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman
79:, any other officer or employee of the
661:. Nebraska Legislature. Archived from
659:"Public Counsel (Ombudsman's Office)"
490:Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report
7:
845:Los Angeles Department of Ombudsman
209:within the office of the governor.
886:Ombudspersons in the United States
523:Tooltip Public Law (United States)
232:Arizona's Ombudsman Citizen's Aide
141:U.S. Customs and Border Protection
14:
418:Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
398:News ombudsmen and Public Editors
264:Other specialist state ombudsmen
222:Other state ombudsmen include:
169:Environmental Protection Agency
163:Environmental Protection Agency
125:Department of Homeland Security
97:Department of Homeland Security
85:Office of Management and Budget
65:Office of the Taxpayer Advocate
22:for ombudsmen across the globe.
240:State Long Term Care Ombudsmen
26:Ombudsmen in the United States
1:
380:New York City Public Advocate
772:http://www.ltcombudsman.org/
641:Food and Drug Administration
492:35 (3 September 1977): 1855.
181:Food and Drug Administration
175:Food and Drug Administration
103:(USCIS). As mandated by the
857:http://pubadvocate.nyc.gov/
714:"Office of Ombudsman, Iowa"
309:use and development issues.
907:
615:"Contacting the Ombudsman"
252:State children's ombudsmen
235:State of Alaska Ombudsman
229:Office of Ombudsman, Iowa
81:Department of the Treasury
17:
637:"Office of the Ombudsman"
435:Michigan State University
325:City and county ombudsmen
251:
77:Secretary of the Treasury
506:American Bar Association
430:Organizational ombudsmen
425:Organizational ombudsmen
61:Internal Revenue Service
55:Internal Revenue Service
364:Department of Ombudsman
336:King County, Washington
330:King County, Washington
155:Department of Education
441:Ombudsman associations
420:also has an ombudsman.
220:
404:National Public Radio
319:Carlos Romero Barceló
215:
204:State-level ombudsmen
129:immigration detention
105:Homeland Security Act
694:Ombudsman.hawaii.gov
258:children's ombudsman
198:Admiral Elmo Zumwalt
732:"Arizona Ombudsman"
619:Federal Student Aid
508:, February 27, 2008
69:Treasury Department
46:members of Congress
867:Official website:
855:Official website:
752:"Alaska Ombudsman"
595:United States Code
361:Los Angeles County
244:All states have a
188:United States Navy
40:Federal government
34:dispute resolution
571:Homeland Security
408:Alicia C. Shepard
898:
871:
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859:
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847:
842:
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768:
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761:
759:
758:
748:
742:
741:
739:
738:
728:
722:
721:
716:. Archived from
710:
704:
703:
701:
700:
686:
680:
673:
667:
666:
655:
649:
648:
647:on May 28, 2009.
643:. Archived from
633:
627:
626:
625:on Mar 23, 2015.
621:. Archived from
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557:
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73:IRS Commissioner
906:
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675:Kent M. Weeks,
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527:104–168 (text)
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276:Office of the
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246:long term care
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542:July 30, 1996
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830:7 December
757:2024-04-10
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699:2024-04-10
600:2022-05-30
576:2022-05-30
540:, enacted
478:References
795:"Leo UIA"
544:, §101(a)
274:Minnesota
272:State of
260:article.
83:, or the
30:ombudsman
20:Ombudsman
825:Crosscut
296:Michigan
519:Pub. L.
392:Detroit
386:Detroit
346:Seattle
340:Seattle
194:US Navy
536:
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534:Stat.
530:(PDF)
459:NASOP
287:Getz.
832:2018
538:1452
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447:COFO
378:The
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