OCO - Ombudsman Reference List

Children's Service Bureau
6950 Levant St.
San Diego, CA 91977
(619) 694-5130
Fax: (619) 694-5241

County of Santa Clara
Social Service Agency
P.O. Box 1210
San Jose, CA 95108-1210
(408) 993-9442

Children & Family Services -- Alameda County
401 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607
[510] 268-2365

How to Contact:

Complaint Resolution Process
Colorado Department of Social Services
1575 Sherman Street
Denver, CO 80203

CONNECTICUT

How to Contact:

State of Connecticut
Office of the Child Advocate
165 Capitol Ave., Room 223
Hartford, Connecticut 06106

(860) 566-2106
Toll Free: 1-800-994-0939
Fax: (860) 566-2251

FLORIDA

The Florida ombudsman is authorized under the Human Rights Advocacy Committee, Florida Statute Ch. 402.165 - 402.167.

How to Contact:

Statewide Human Rights Advocacy Comm. (HRAC)
State of Florida
Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services
1317 Winewood Blvd.
Bldg. 1, Room 400
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700

(904) 488-6173
Fax: (904) 922-5312

HAWAII

In 1967, Hawaii was the first state with a law establishing a state ombudsman office. The Hawaii Ombudsman is authorized under Chapter 96, Hawaii Revised Statutes. This is a statewide office of general jurisdiction.

How to Contact:

Hawaii Office of the Ombudsman
KeKuanoa Bldg., 4th Floor
465 S. King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 587-0770
Fax: (808) 587-0773

ILLINOIS

The ombudsman statute is found at Illinois Annotated Statute Ch. 325 § 20/1 et seq. Illinois also has a number of locally created offices to assist individuals with their complaints.

How to Contact:

Ombudsperson's Office
Dept. of Children & Family Services
406 E. Monroe, Station 10
Springfield, IL 62701

(617) 524-2029
Fax: (217) 524-3345
Cook County Public Guardian
2245 W. Ogden
Chicago, IL 60612

(312) 433-4336

IOWA

In 1970, Iowa was the third state to establish a legislatively created statewide ombudsman program. The Iowa Ombudsman is known as a Citizens' Aide under Chapter 2C, Iowa Code Annotated.

How to Contact:

Iowa Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman
Capital Complex
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0231

(515) 281-3592
Toll-Free: 1-888-IA-OMBUD
Fax: (515) 242-6007

KANSAS

How to Contact:

Ombudsman Program
Social & Rehabilitation Services (re: children)
Perry Building
300 SW Oakley
Topeka, KS 66606

(913) 296-4687
Fax: (913) 296-6960

KENTUCKY

Kentucky has an ombudsman program established under the Cabinet for Human Resources and authorized under Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated § 194.010 et seq.

How to Contact:

Offices of the Ombudsman
Cabinet for Human Resources
275 E. Main St., IE
Frankfort, KY 40621

(502) 564-5497
Fax: (502) 564-7573
Citizens' Advocate Office
200 E. Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507-1315
(606) 258-3230
Fax: (606) 258-3250

MAINE

The ombudsman statute is Maine Revised Statutes Annotated Tit. 22 § 4087(1) et seq.

MARYLAND

How to Contact:

Governor's Office for Children, Youth & Families
301 W. Preston St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

(410) 767-4160

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts has a general office responsible for dealing with all areas of state government and community interaction.

How to Contact:

Governor's Office of Constituent Services
State House, Room 159
Boston, MA 02133

(617) 727-6250
Fax: (617) 727-9725
Department of Social Services
24 Farnsworth Street
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 727-0900 x 517
Fax: (617) 439-4482

MICHIGAN

Michigan currently has ombudsmen in the areas of children, small business, student affairs, corrections, mental health, long term care, and environment. The Michigan Children's Ombudsman is authorized under P.A. 204 of 1994.

How to Contact:

Children's Ombudsman
P.O. Box 30026
Lansing, MI 48909

(517) 373-3077
Toll Free: 1-800-MICH-FAM
Fax: (517) 335-4471

MINNESOTA

The Minnesota statute is § 257.0755 et seq.

How to Contact:

Ombudsman for Mental Health and Mental Retardation (re: children)
Governor's Office
Metro Square Building
7th & Robert Streets, Ste. 202
St. Paul, MN 55101
(612) 296-3848
Fax: (612) 296-1021

Ombudsman for Indian Families
1450 Energy Park Drive, Ste. 106
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
(612) 643-2523
Fax: (612) 643-2539

Ombudsman for Asian-Pacific Families
1450 Energy Park Drive, Ste. 106
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
Ombudsman for African-American Families
1450 Energy Park Drive, Ste. 106
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227

MISSOURI

How to Contact:

Human Relations & Citizen Complaints
415 E. 12th Street, Room 703
Kansas City, MO 64106

(816) 881-3670
Fax: (816) 881-3030

MONTANA

How to Contact:

Department of Family Services
P.O. Box 8005
Helena, MT 59604

(406) 444-5900
Fax: (406) 444-5956

NEBRASKA

In 1969, Nebraska was the second state to establish a state ombudsman office. The title in Nebraska is Public Counsel and is authorized under Sections 81-8,240 to 81-8,254, Revised Statutes of Nebraska.

How to Contact:

State Ombudsman's Office
P.O. Box 94712
Room 807 State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509-4712
(402) 471-2035
Fax: (402) 471-4277

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Provided for in New Hampshire Law (RSA 126-A:4 III).

How to Contact:

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Ombudsman Office
6 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301

[603] 271-6941

NEW MEXICO

How to Contact:

Social Services Client Relations Liaison (re: children)
Children Youth & Families
P.O. Drawer 5160 P.E.R.A. Room 254
Santa Fe, NM 87502

(505) 827-8442
Fax: (505) 827-8480

NEW YORK

New York first established municipal ombudsman offices in Nassau County, Long Island (1967) and Jamestown, NY (1970).

How to Contact:

Public Advocate for the City of New York
1 Centre Street, Room 1500
New York, New York, 10007

(212) 669-7200
Fax: (212) 669-4701

Website: http://www.pub.advocate.nyc.gov

OHIO

Ohio has citizen complaint offices in various locations.

How to Contact:

Executive Director/Ombudsman
Citizens of Cuyahoga County Ombudsman
2800 Euclid Avenue, Suite 207
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 696-2710
Fax: (216) 696-3317
Children's Ombudsman/Lucas County
705 Adams Street
Toledo, OH 43624
(419) 327-3241
Fax: (419) 327-3717

OKLAHOMA

On 1/13/98, Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City, proposed the creation of a children's ombudsman. The Oklahoma Office of Advocate Defender is authorized by Oklahoma Statutes Title 10 § 1403.3.

How to Contact:

Advocate General Office of Client Advocacy, Office of Advocate Defender
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
P.O. Box 25352
Oklahoma City, OK 73125

(405) 521-3491
Fax: (405) 521-6684

OREGON

How to Contact:

Citizens' Representative Office, Office of the Governor
1601 State Capitol
Salem, OR 97310
[503] 378-5116

Office of the Ombudsman, Mayor's Office
City of Portland
1220 SW 5th Avenue, Room 303
Portland, OR 97204
[503] 823-4120

RHODE ISLAND

The Rhode Island ombudsman statute is found in Rhode Island General Laws § 42-73-1 et seq.

How to Contact:

State of Rhode Island
Office of Child Advocate
West Exchange Center
260 W. Exchange Street
Providence, RI 02930

(401) 222-6650

SOUTH CAROLINA

The South Carolina statute is South Carolina Code Annotated § 20-7-5210 et seq.

How to Contact:

Children's Case Resolution System
Governor's Office
Ombudsman Division
1205 Pendleton St., Room 308
Columbia, SC 29201

(803) 734-0385
Fax: (803) 734-0385

South Carolina Families for Kids
A public/private partnership between the South Carolina Department of Social Services and the United Way of South Carolina, South Carolina Families for Kids offers a combination of commitment, experience and resources that have made the adoption and foster care system more responsive and responsible. South Carolina Families for Kids & South Carolina Children's Justice Task Force funds the Children's Law Project at the University of South Carolina which advocates on behalf of children.

How to Contact:

Children's Law Project
University of South Carolina
Carolina Plaza, 12th Floor
Columbia, SC 29208

(803) 777-1646
Fax: (803) 777-8686

TENNESSEE

How to Contact:

Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth
Child and Family Services
Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243-0800

(615) 532-1572
Fax: (615) 741-5956

TEXAS

How to Contact:

Mary Gordon Spence, Ombudsman
Texas Natural Resources Commission
P.O. Box 13087 Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711-3087

(512) 239-4000
Fax: (512) 239-4007

The Texas Department of Protective & Regulatory Services, through the Children's Justice Act Project (CJA), has supported the development of child advocacy centers and death review teams throughout the state.

How to Contact:

Texas Department of Protective & Regulatory Services
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030

(512) 450-4907
Fax: (512) 450-3525

UTAH

The Utah Division of Child and Family Services has a Child Ombudsman Office.

How to Contact:

Child Protection Ombudsman
Division of Child and Family Services
Child Ombudsman Office
120 N. 200 W., P.O. Box 45500
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0500

(801) 538-4100
Fax: (801) 538-3993

WASHINGTON

How to Contact:

Office of Family & Children's Ombudsman
6720 Fort Dent Way, #240
Tukwila, WA 98186

WYOMING

How to Contact:

Wyoming Department of Family Services
2300 Capitol Avenue -- Hathaway Third Floor
Cheyenne, WY [307] 777-3679

MISCELLANEOUS RESOURCES:

American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law
1800 M Street, NW Ste. 200S
Washington, DC 20036

(202) 331-2670

Center on Children and the Law
740 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

(202) 662-1720
Fax: (202) 662-1755

United States Ombudsman Association
8345 University Blvd., Suite F-1
Des Moines, IA 50325

(515) 225-2323
Fax: (515) 225-6363
Email: usoa@usombudsman.org

Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR)
1621 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009

(202) 265-1927
Fax: (202) 265-1968

How to Contact:

Office of the Antigua and Barbuda Ombudsman
Deaney Place and Dickenson Bay Street
PO Box 2049
St. John's, Antigua

[268] 462-9364

CANADA

British C olumbia Manitoba New Brunswick Nova Scotia Ontario Quebec Yukon Territories

British Columbia

How to Contact:

British Columbia Office of the Ombudsman
931 Fort Street
Victoria, BC V8V 3K3
[250] 387-5855

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Manitoba

How to Contact:

Province of Manitoba
750-500 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3C 3X1

[204] 786-6483

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New Brunswick

How to Contact:

New Brunswick Office of the Ombudsman
767 Rue Brunswick Street
PO Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

[506] 453-2789

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Nova Scotia

How to Contact:

The Province of Nova Scotia Ombudsman Office
5675 Spring Garden Road, Suite 300
Halifax, NS B3J 3B7

[902] 424-6780

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Ontario

How to Contact:

Ontario Office of the Ombudsman
125 Queen's Park Road
Toronto, ON M5S 1C7

[416] 586-3485

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Quebec

How to Contact:

Protecteur du citoyen du Quebes
525, boul. Rene-levesque est.bureau 1.25
Quebec, PQ GIR 5Y4
[418] 644-6565

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Yukon

How to Contact:

Yukon Office of the Ombudsman
PO Box 2703
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6
[867] 667-8468

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Puerto Rico