Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed a unanimously approved bill into law replacing the Child Welfare Services Ombudsman program with the new Office of the Child Advocate.
Sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the new office created by LD 1893 will be responsible for providing “independent oversight,” promoting “the best interests of children,” and ensuring that “children receive timely, safe and effective services in accordance with state and federal law.”
For administrative purposes, the Office of the Child Advocate will be established within the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS).
The Child Advocate will be appointed for a five-year term with the potential for renewal.
In order to hold this position, candidates must have a professional graduate degree in law, health care, public health, social work, or a related field, and have knowledge of safety science and juvenile correctional practices or be willing to undergo training.
A similarly qualified Associate Child Advocate will also be hired.
Much like the current Ombudsman, the Child Advocate will review complaints and determine what, if any, action should be taken.
[RELATED: Unanimous Measure Creating New Office of the Child Advocate Heads to Gov. Janet Mills’ Desk]
The first Child Advocate will be appointed by July 15, 2027. By October 1, 2026, the governor must appoint an interim Child Advocate, with preference given to the current Child Welfare Ombudsman.
A report detailing “resource needs, including staffing, equipment, travel and consultancies, to implement the new office” needs to be submitted to the Legislature’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee by February 15, 2027.
All funding and positions from the current Ombudsman’s office will be transferred to the Office of the Child Advocate on October 1, 2026.
As of April 1, 2027, funding will be made available for two additional staff members, including a child advocacy professional and an administrative professional. An additional $100,000 will also be allocated for staffing, office expenses, training, and contractual services.
The Legislature’s unanimous approval of this measure came on the heels of an equally united show of support for the bill from the HHS Committee.
LD 1893 was signed into law by Gov. Mills on April 16, 2026.
HOW MUCH is this going to cost us ?
Whose cousin is THIS ?
I’ll bet you a thousand donuts it’s another puppet democrat .
Another state grift, under guise of protecting kids, fix DHHS before starting another boondoggle
What a joke she is
This will fail like all previous efforts and result in just another “Hanna needs a job” for Mills or her cronies to put yet another tapped out Dem gadfly into. It will be managed like another lost cause the CASA program (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in state custody) that is little more than a social worker rehash of all things WOKE and fails in its very mission as an “ADVOCATE”. This program in Maine is run like just another layer of government failed ambition with dark glasses run by a bunch of second-string lawyers who also need a job. And as the $$millions go out the door for this newest fix applied to a very old horror show there will be little in the reduction of state custody child homicides as those in charge will be clueless as to how protective services should work along with a state bench in Maine that believes that “re-unification” tops child safety every time. And this is not an observation from afar but from being in the belly of the beast and watching it blow its mission with incompetence while patting themselves on the back. The road to Hell as they say is paved with all kinds of good intentions.
How many more children will die with this new program ripe for fraud. In the guise of protecting children.
She just announced she’s done .
Time to go get the gift shop up and running .
LOL
BYE Janet …..I hope the door hits you in the ass on your way out