Sec. 8.
(1) The department and a child placing agency shall do all of the following:
(a) Upon the ombudsman's request, grant the ombudsman or his or her designee access to all information, records, and documents in the possession of the department or child placing agency that the ombudsman considers relevant and necessary in an investigation.
(b) Assist the ombudsman to obtain the necessary releases of those documents that are specifically restricted.
(c) Upon the ombudsman's request, provide the ombudsman with progress reports concerning the administrative processing of a complaint.
(d) Upon the ombudsman's request, provide the ombudsman information he or she requests under subdivision (a) within 10 business days after the request. If the department determines that release of the information would violate federal or state law, the ombudsman shall be notified of that determination within the same 10-day deadline.
(2) The department, an attorney involved with an adoption, and a child placing agency shall provide information to a biological parent, prospective adoptive parent, or foster parent regarding the provisions of this act.
(3) The ombudsman, the department, and the department of technology, management, and budget shall ensure that the ombudsman has access, in the ombudsman's own office, to departmental computer networks pertaining to protective services, foster care, adoption, juvenile delinquency, and the central registry, unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, or the release of the information to the ombudsman would jeopardize federal funding. The cost of implementing this subsection shall be negotiated among the office of the children's ombudsman, the department, and the department of technology, management, and budget.
History: 1994, Act 204, Eff. Jan. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 560, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 38, Imd. Eff. June 4, 2013