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The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson handles complaints from anyone, prioritizing concerns from young people about their rights, care, safety, and placement in Minnesota foster care, including youth in Extended Foster Care and those who have recently aged out of care.
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In July, the OOFY team presented to nearly 100 Fosters (ages 5-20) about our office and why they might reach out to us. OOFY has focused on presenting to foster youth in group facilities, knowing that these young people may be less connected to supports. We always want to hear about how we are doing and ways we can improve, and so far the feedback has been very positive!
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Foster Panel at Judge’s Training
Ombudsperson Misty Coonce facilitated a Foster panel comprised of three OOFY Advisory Board members, Vivian Dudley, Lucina Kayee, and Sage Desai, as part of the weeklong training for Minnesota judges hosted by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Panelists shared critical insight and recommendations for the judges to incorporate into their practice, including ways they can increasing meaningful participation of youth at court hearings and provide important accountability for decisions that impact Fosters.
A panelist reminded judges, "For you, this is your field of work, and for us, it's our lives, our safety, and our well-being. It's important to listen to foster youth."
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Join OOFY at the 2025 Permanency & Child Welfare Fall Conference: Connecting the Dots, Completing the Circle!
On October 15th, OOFY is excited to be offering a lived experience panel at the 2025 Permanency and Child Welfare Fall Conference hosted by CASCW. The panel will consist of folks with lived experience in Minnesota foster care, including the moderator, Ombudsperson Misty Coonce. This panel will discuss permanency, what it means, and what the future should look like for current and future Fosters to come.
Presentation: What Permanency Meant and What Was Missing
Description: In this keynote, people with lived experience in foster care will share their expertise and personal experiences with permanency—or the absence of it—while in care. Their honest reflections reveal what permanency looked like, where it fell short, and how system definitions sometimes miss the mark. This keynote invites child welfare professionals to listen deeply, remember the human impact of their work, and recommit to creating lasting connections that youth deserve.
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We are excited to share two short videos on foster youth rights and an introduction to our agency. We will have video profiles coming about two of our amazing Advisory Board members, so please subscribe.
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We are excited to share our latest quarterly report. From April to June 2025:
- We reviewed 71 concerns from 25 counties.
- OOFY had direct contact with Fosters in 39 percent of the cases (15 out of
38) that involved a specific person. The remaining 33 cases were related to
general consultations, policy questions, an anonymous concern, and other
non-person-specific matters.
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The I Am Here: Vital Document Legal Hotline for Youth is a free, dedicated legal assistance hotline for youth experiencing homelessness to help obtain essential identification and vital documents. Call or text 1-888-870-DOCS, or click the button below to learn more.
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