Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Agencies
    • >
  • Results

    • Minnesota Agencies

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

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    Ombudsman for Mental Health and Mental Retardation

    Also known as:
    Ombudsman Office for Mental Health and Mental Retardation
    Active dates:1987-2005
    Authority:
    Minn. Stat. 245.92
    1987 Minn. Laws Chap. 352 Sec. 3
    Function: The Office will aid in protecting the rights and advocating on behalf of persons with mental illness, mental retardation, emotional disturbandes and chemical dependency. Promote high standards of care and treatment.
    Succeeded by:
    Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
    History: In 1987, the Legislature created the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Mental Retardation to promote the highest attainable standards of treatment, competence, efficiency, and justice for persons receiving services or treatment for mental illness, mental retardation or a related condition, chemical dependency, or emotional disturbance.

    The Office is an independent state agency. The Governor appoints the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman appoints Regional Ombudsman.

    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.

    In 2005 the Office was renamed the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. 2005 Laws of MN, Chapter 56, H.F.No. 487, An act relating to state government; changing terminology for mentally retarded, mental retardation, physically handicapped, and similar terms.
    Related to:
    Ombudsman Committee for Mental Health and Mental Retardation
    Agency heads: Ombudsman; term, pleasure of governor
    Notes: Also committee; see separate record.
    Reports:
    Collaboration Study of the Centers for Independent Living, Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, Ombudsman Office for Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Minnesota State Council on Disability (2004)
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Documents/Articles:
    News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1987-1993.
    Record last updated: 11/12/2013
     

    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.

    Agencies image