The Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman is part of the Auditor of Public Accounts, ensuring it remains completely separate for impartial and unbiased investigations of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Importantly, the Ombudsman does not represent employees of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS).
The Complaint Review Branch receives and investigates complaints about programs administered by (CHFS). This Branch recommends corrective action where appropriate, prompts CHFS staff to resolve customer problems, and advises CHFS’s Secretary of service-delivery problems. The Complaint Review Branch cannot make, change, or set aside law, policy, or administrative decisions of CHFS. However, the Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman makes recommendations to resolve citizen complaints about CHFS and improve its performance.