CA Welf & Inst Code Section 224.74

(a)

The Office of the Ombudspersons of the Division of Juvenile Facilities shall do all of the following:

(1)

Disseminate information on the rights of children and youth in the custody of the Division of Juvenile Facilities, as provided in Section 224.71, and the services provided by the office.

(2)

Investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of youth in the custody of the Division of Juvenile Facilities, related to their care, placement, or services, or in the alternative, refer appropriate complaints to another agency for investigation.

(3)

Notify the complainant in writing of the intention to investigate or the decision to refer the complaint to another agency within 15 days of receiving the complaint. If the office declines to investigate a complaint, the office shall notify the complainant of the reason for this decision.

(4)

Update the complainant on the progress of the investigation and notify the complainant in writing of the final outcome, steps taken during the investigation, basis for the decision, and any action to be taken as a result of the complaint.

(5)

Document the number, source, origin, location, and nature of complaints.

(6)

Provide a toll-free telephone number for the Office of the Ombudspersons of the Division of Juvenile Facilities.

(7)

Compile and make available to the Legislature and the public all data collected over the course of the year, including, but not limited to, the number of contacts to the toll-free telephone number, the number of complaints made, the number of investigations performed by the office, the number of referrals made, the issues complained about, the number of sustained complaints, the actions taken as a result of sustained complaints, and the number of unresolved complaints, including the reasons the complaints could not be resolved.

(b)

(1)The Office of the Ombudspersons of the Division of Juvenile Facilities, in consultation with youth advocate and support groups, and groups representing children, families, children’s facilities, and other interested parties, shall develop, no later than July 1, 2008, standardized information explaining the rights specified in Section 224.71. The information developed shall be age-appropriate.

(2)

The Office of the Ombudspersons of the Division of Juvenile Facilities and other interested parties may use the information developed in paragraph (1) in carrying out their responsibilities to inform youth of their rights provided under Section 224.71.