At the 2018 Annual Conference for the United States Ombudsman Association, held in Portland, Oregon, Jill was re-elected co-chair for the Children and Families Chapter. Jill is the Ombudsperson for American Indian Families for the State of Minnesota and investigates complaints for non-compliance of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA), Minnesota Statutes, Rules and DHS Policies that involve child protection cases. As the Ombudsperson, Jill collaborates with tribes, agencies, counties, community organizations, courts, schools and other organizations to develop policies, rules and laws to improve outcomes for American Indian Families involved in the child protection system, as well as collaborating on prevention programs. The Ombudsperson is advised and reports to the American Indian Community Specific Board, who are all appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
Posted: April 3, 2019