Kansas Statutes § 75-7603 Purpose of office; duties of the child advocate; investigative procedures; resolution of complaints; report by the office.

75-7603. Purpose of office; duties of the child advocate; investigative procedures; resolution of complaints; report by the office. (a) The purpose of the office of the child advocate is to ensure that children and families receive adequate coordination of child welfare services for child protection and care through services offered by the Kansas department for children and families or the department's contracting entities, the department for aging and disability services, the department of corrections, the department of health and environment and juvenile courts. (b) The office shall receive and resolve complaints that allege the Kansas department for children and families or an entity contracting with the department, by act or omission, has provided inadequate protection or care of children, failed to protect the physical or mental health, safety or welfare of any child or failed to follow established laws, rules and regulations or written policies. The child advocate shall: (1) Establish and implement procedures for receiving, processing, responding to and resolving complaints made by or on behalf of children that relate to state agencies, service providers, including contractors and subcontractors, and any juvenile court that adversely affect or may adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of such children; (2) provide the Kansas department for children and families with a notice of availability that describes the office and procedures for contacting the office. The department shall ensure such notice is prominently posted in department offices and facilities receiving public moneys for the care and placement of children; (3) maintain a publicly available website; (4) publicize and notify individuals of the office's services, purpose and contact information; (5) compile, collect and preserve a record of complaints received and processed that may reveal concerning patterns to be addressed; and (6) make recommendations for changes to policies, procedures or adopted or proposed rules and regulations of any state or local agency that adversely affect or may adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of any child. (c) The office shall independently investigate complaints received pursuant to subsection (b) if the office reasonably believes the complaint's allegations may be independently verified through an investigation. To investigate, the office shall: (1) Establish and implement procedures for investigating complaints; (2) have access to the following information related to complaints received: (A) The names and physical location of all children in protective services, treatment or other programs under the jurisdiction of the Kansas department for children and families or the department of corrections; (B) all written reports of child abuse and neglect; (C) all records as provided in K.S.A. 38-2201 et seq. and 38-2301 et seq., and amendments thereto; and (D) all current records required to be maintained pursuant to articles 22 and 23 of chapter 38 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto; (3) communicate privately with the following persons or entities, after consultation with treatment professionals and service providers: (A) Any child or child's siblings; and (B) anyone working with the child, including the family, relatives, employees of the Kansas department for children and families or the department of corrections and other persons or entities providing treatment and services; (4) have access to, including the right to inspect and copy, relevant child records as identified for disclosure in K.S.A. 38-2201 et seq. and 38-2301 et seq., and amendments thereto; (5) work in conjunction with juvenile intake and assessment workers, juvenile community corrections officers, guardians ad litem and court-appointed special advocates; (6) take statements under oath and obtain judicial enforcement of compulsory processes; and (7) subpoena materials and witnesses using the following procedures: (A) When the office reasonably believes that materials or witnesses sought will assist in the investigation, the child advocate may issue a subpoena directing documents, reports or information to be delivered to the office at a specific time, date and place or directing a person to appear as a witness at a specific time, date and place. Such time and date shall not be sooner than seven days after the service of the subpoena, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays and days on which the office of the clerk of the court is not accessible. The child advocate shall keep a copy of the subpoena in a special file maintained for that purpose; (B) upon receiving service of a subpoena pursuant to this paragraph, the person or agency served shall give written notice of service to any person known to have a right to assert a privilege or assert a right of confidentiality in regard to the documents, reports or information sought at least five days before the date of delivery or appearance; (C) any parent, child, guardian ad litem, person or entity subpoenaed or person or entity who claims a privilege or right of confidentiality may request in writing that the child advocate quash a subpoena issued pursuant to this paragraph. The request to quash the subpoena shall be filed with the office at least 24 hours prior to the specified time and date of delivery or appearance, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays and days on which the office of the clerk of the court is not accessible, and a copy of the written request shall be given to the person subpoenaed at least 24 hours prior to the specified time and date of delivery or appearance; and (D) if the child advocate does not quash the subpoena, the written request shall automatically stay the operation of the subpoena until the child advocate obtains a court order for the subpoena to be honored, and the documents, reports or information requested shall not be delivered and the witness shall not appear. An appropriate district court may issue an order for the subpoena to be honored after the court has held a hearing to determine if the documents, reports or information are subject to the claimed privilege or right of confidentiality, and whether it is in the best interests of the child for the subpoena to be honored. (d) To resolve complaints received pursuant to subsection (b), the office shall: (1) Establish and implement procedures to resolve the complaints; (2) independently review the subject of the complaint and after the initial review of the complaint and any accompanying material, the child advocate may recommend that a department or contracting entity: (A) Consider the matter further; (B) modify or cancel the department or contracting entity's actions; (C) alter a rule, order or internal policy; (D) explain the action further; or (E) within a reasonable time after receiving a recommendation, provide the office information concerning the department or contracting entity action to implement or not implement recommendations made by the office pursuant to this paragraph; (3) submit any findings or recommendations pursuant to paragraph (2) to the secretary for children and families or the secretary of corrections as appropriate; (4) upon reason to believe a criminal investigation is warranted, make a referral of child abuse or neglect to an appropriate law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the matter and notify the abuse, neglect and exploitation unit of the office of the attorney general; and (5) produce reports of findings of fact or conclusions of law regarding any complaint, and, if appropriate, the attorney general may file such reports in any pending child in need of care case on behalf of the office. (e) To assist the legislature in oversight of the child welfare system, the office may: (1) Meet and discuss any matter in the scope of the child advocate act with the joint committee on child welfare system oversight in regular or executive session under the same duties of confidentiality provided for the child advocate; (2) review relevant statutes, rules and regulations, policies and procedures for the health, safety and welfare of children; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of and recommend changes to procedures for reports of child abuse and neglect for child protective services, including, but not limited to, the involvement of the Kansas department for children and families, service providers, guardians ad litem, court appointed special advocates and law enforcement agencies; and (4) review and recommend changes to law enforcement investigative procedures for and emergency responses to reports of abuse and neglect. (f) (1) On or before the beginning of each regular session of the legislature, the office shall prepare and submit a report to the governor, the chief justice of the supreme court and the office of judicial administration, the secretary for children and families, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the joint committee on child welfare oversight, the house of representatives standing committee on child welfare and foster care, the senate standing committee on judiciary, or their successor committees, and any other relevant legislative committee. (2) Such report shall include: (A) The number of complaints received by the office; (B) the disposition of such complaints; (C) the number of children involved in such complaints; (D) the outcome of such complaints; (E) any recommendations for changes in statute, policies, procedures or rules and regulations; (F) the office's proposed annual budget; and (G) any other topics that the office deems appropriate to properly perform the powers, duties and functions provided by the child advocate act. (g) The annual budget request of the office shall be prepared by the child advocate. The child advocate shall submit an annual budget request to the division of budget. Such budget request shall be prepared and submitted in the manner provided by K.S.A. 75-3716 and 75-3717, and amendments thereto. (h) To assist the office in the office's duties under the child advocate act, employees of the Kansas department for children and families, the department's contracting agencies, the department of corrections, juvenile intake and assessment workers, juvenile community corrections officers, guardians ad litem and court appointed special advocates shall: (1) Work diligently, promptly and in good faith to assist the office in performing the office's powers, duties and functions provided by the child advocate act; (2) provide full access to and production of records and information requested by the office in the office's duties provided by the act. Such access shall not be a violation of confidentiality of such records if provided and produced in good faith for the purposes of the act; (3) require employees and contractors of such department or agency to comply with requests from the office in such office's duties provided by the act; (4) allow employees of such department or agency to file a complaint with or provide records or information to the office without supervisory approval; (5) not willfully interfere with or obstruct any of the office's duties provided by the act; and (6) promptly meet and consult with the office upon request of the office. History: L. 2024, ch. 73, § 3; July 1.