LINCOLN- For over fifty years, Nebraska's Ombudsman's Office has been a place where state citizens could turn to resolve problems they identified within the state government. However, since mid-August, two major state agencies, the Departments of Health and Human Services and of Correctional Services, have turned off access to their cases management systems, barred agency employees from responding to requests for information, and sharply limited visits to state institutions, severely reducing the power of the Ombudsman's Office.

As a result, State Sen. Terrell McKinney said he's been hearing from Nebraskans involved with both agencies, particularly those in the state prison system, who can't get their questions or concerns answered. "There's a lot of issues that are not being addressed because they are not allowed to help," said McKinney, "It's just making a bad situation worse." State Ombudsman Julie Rogers said she and her staff are continuing to take complaints from citizens concerning the two agencies, but that responses are slow.

"Right now it's taking a lot longer," said Rogers, "We're trying to figure out what information we can get." DHHS and Corrections officials curtailed the Ombudsman's Office access within days after Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued an opinion concluding that two watchdog offices aimed at child welfare and prison oversight violated the State Consitution. The watchdog groups are housed within the Ombudsman's Office but are governed by separate laws.

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