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

SUBTITLE 7

MENTAL HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND CORRECTIONS OMBUDSMAN

CHAPTER 1701

MENTAL HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND CORRECTIONS OMBUDSMAN

§9001.__Mental Health, Human Services and Corrections Ombudsman

1.__Office established.__The Office of Mental Health, Human Services and Corrections Ombudsman is established within the Executive Department, autonomous from any other state agency, to represent__the best interests of individuals involved in the State's mental health, human services and corrections systems as a class and to provide independent clinical oversight over cases in the State's mental health, human services and corrections systems.

2.__Appointment.__The Governor shall appoint the mental health, human services and corrections 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 mental health matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over human resource matters, sitting jointly, 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 such personnel as 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 those mental health, human services and corrections matters that are under the jurisdiction of the State;

C.__Provide independent clinical oversight for cases in the State's mental health, human services and corrections systems; and

D.__At the request of a judge, a clinician or a staff member of the Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services or the Department of Corrections, review and render