Office of Children’s Behavioral Health Ombudsman.

The Office of Children’s Behavioral Health Ombudsman is established within the department for the purpose of being a central point to receive complaints on behalf of children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders receiving state-funded services and use such information to improve the child and adolescent mental health treatment and support system. The department and managing entities shall include information about and contact information for the office placed prominently on their websites on easily accessible web pages related to children and adolescent behavioral health services. To the extent permitted by available resources, the office shall, at a minimum:

(1) Receive and direct to the appropriate contact within the department, the Agency for Health Care Administration, or the appropriate organizations providing behavioral health services complaints from children and adolescents and their families about the child and adolescent mental health treatment and support system.

(2) Maintain records of complaints received and the actions taken.

(3) Be a resource to identify and explain relevant policies or procedures to children, adolescents, and their families about the child and adolescent mental health treatment and support system.

(4) Provide recommendations to the department to address systemic problems within the child and adolescent mental health treatment and support system that are leading to complaints. The department shall include an analysis of complaints and recommendations in the report required under s. 394.4573.

(5) Engage in functions that may improve the child and adolescent mental health treatment and support system.