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Effective December 7, 2021, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan appointed Barnett (Bud) Rosenfield as the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (OMHDD). In announcing the appointment, Governor Walz said, “I am honored to appoint Bud Rosenfield as the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Mr. Rosenfield is a dedicated public servant with a proven track record as a passionate advocate for justice. I am confident that he will use his knowledge, experience, and role to create a more just, inclusive, and equitable Minnesota.”
Lieutenant Governor Flanagan added, “Throughout his career, Bud Rosenfield has worked to ensure all Minnesotans are treated with the dignity, compassion, and respect they deserve. I have no doubt that Mr. Rosenfield’s deep commitment to the people of Minnesota will strengthen the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.” Please see the Governor’s and Lieutenant Governor’s announcement at News / Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (mn.gov)
About Bud
Although born and raised on the East Coast, Bud has family roots in Minnesota. His mother grew up on the Iron Range and went to nursing school at the U. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Bud moved to Minnesota and attended the U for law school. He has since spent his entire professional career here. He clerked for the Honorable Harriet Lansing, served as the staff coordinator for the state’s Special District Apportionment Panel, and represented individuals in private practice in employment law and civil rights cases. For most of his career, Bud has represented people who have disabilities, first as an attorney and then as supervisor with the Minnesota Disability Law Center. His appointment as Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities reflects his commitment to and passion for doing protection and advocacy work and promoting disability rights and justice.
“I feel privileged and am deeply humbled by the opportunity to work with the talented and dedicated OMHDD staff,” Bud stated. “Responding to and helping resolve individual complaints, conducting death and serious injury reviews, while also identifying systemic issues and opportunities for improvement in the facilities, services, and programs serving people with disabilities – the depth, range, and quality of the work OMHDD staff collectively does is truly impressive. I am excited about helping to contribute to and lead OMHDD’s client services, medical reviews, and advocacy work.”
Recognition: Roberta Opheim
For over 28 years, OMHDD was led by Roberta Opheim, who retired last summer. Roberta was universally respected and revered for her compassion, her commitment to disability rights and justice, and her deep knowledge and expertise regarding the history and laws pertaining to the services, programs, and systems that serve people who have disabilities. As Bud notes, “It’s hard for advocates and other stakeholders to think of OMHDD without picturing Roberta; they’re synonymous. I worked, collaborated, and consulted often with Roberta over the years. Whether she was advocating for better early intervention mental health services for children, overseeing OMHDD’s investigation and report on the excessive and inappropriate use of restraints at the former METO program in Cambridge, or pushing for more robust integration goals and policies in Minnesota’s Olmstead plan, everyone recognized Roberta as a pivotal leader on disability issues. Her influence and ability to get things done over the past three decades were unparalleled.”
OMHDD staff who worked closely with Roberta echoed these sentiments. Deputy Ombudsman, Lisa Harrison-Hadler, commented that “Roberta’s tireless advocacy on behalf of our clients has forever changed the landscape of services for people with disabilities in Minnesota. She is an inspiration to those of us at OMHDD who had the honor of working with her, and her immeasurable impact on the agency, our staff, and our clients will continue long after her well-deserved retirement.”
About the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
The Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities protects the rights of Minnesotans through individual and systemic advocacy. OMHDD is charged with promoting the highest attainable standards of treatment, competence, efficiency, and justice for persons receiving services for mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, or emotional disturbance. OMHDD oversees work done by state agencies, local school districts, and county social service agencies that monitor, provide, or regulate services or treatment to clients. OMHDD also oversees work done by programs and facilities licensed, registered, or certified by the Department of Human Services or Minnesota Department of Health providing services for mental health, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency, and/or emotional disturbance. More information about OMHDD can be found at https://mn.gov/omhdd/about-us/.
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