Sec. 1. 22 MRSA subtitle 7 is enacted to read:

SUBTITLE 7

HUMAN SERVICES OMBUDSMAN

CHAPTER 1701

HUMAN SERVICES OMBUDSMAN

§9001.__Human Services Ombudsman

1.__Office established.__The Office of Human Services Ombudsman is established within the Executive Department, autonomous from any other state agency, to represent__the best interests of individuals involved in the human services system and to provide independent clinical oversight over cases in the department.

2.__Appointment.__The Governor shall appoint the Human Services Ombudsman, referred to in this subtitle as the "ombudsman."__Appointment of the ombudsman is subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over human resource matters and to confirmation by the Legislature.__The ombudsman serves at the pleasure of the Governor.__Any vacancy must be filled by similar appointment.

3.__Duties.__The ombudsman shall:

A.__Employ personnel the ombudsman considers necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, subject to the Civil Service Law;

B.__Provide ombudsman services to individual citizens relating to human services matters that are under the jurisdiction of the State;

C.__Provide independent clinical oversight for cases in the human services system; and

D.__At the request of a judge, Legislator, clinician or staff member of the department, review and render an opinion on a case currently being handled within the State's human services system.

4.__Confidentiality of records.__Notwithstanding Title 1, section 401 and except as provided in subsection 5, information