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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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The Foster Youth Bill of Rights was heard in the House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee on March 12. The bill had strong bipartisan support and has been laid over. Read about the hearing and watch the powerful testimony of Fosters Dez and Vivian!
We appreciate the strong support from all of you who signed onto our letter and attended or watched the hearing live!
OOFY expects to testify at next week's Children and Families hearing on Tuesday, regarding our statutory updates, as well as other issues impacting foster youth.
Pictured above: Ombudsperson Misty Coonce and Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL-Burnsville).
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 Pictured: OOFY staff, Rep. Jessica Hanson, HF3024 testifiers, and supporters from the Foster community.
We know that the Metro Surge operation impacted Minnesotans, including Fosters, in different ways. We appreciate the Fosters who shared their voice in this recent article.
The Governor’s Office is inviting Minnesotans to share stories about how the federal Metro Surge is affecting them and their communities. These stories will help the Governor understand the impacts and may also support future public engagement and public communication efforts that elevate these experiences.
If Fosters prefer to share their stories with OOFY, or would like their contact information withheld, OOFY staff may submit Metro Surge impact stories on their behalf. Please email info.oofy@state.mn.us, or call us at (651) 926-2940.
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OOFY in the Community:
OOFY attended Foster Child and Youth Day on the Hill on March 2. We are grateful to the young people who shared their stories, and the legislators who showed up in support!
Disclaimer: OOFY is excited to share opportunities that may be of interest to the Foster community but does not endorse or assume any liability for participation in projects led by external entities.
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3/19 Tax Tactics: File Taxes Confidently: Fostering Greatness partnered with Cetera to provide a tax basis workshop that helps former foster youth understand the tax filing process, what forms they will need to file, and even unpack gig economy (1099 contract) work.
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3/25 Resume & Cover Letters Lab Session: Foster Greatness On is teaming up with Str8Up Employment Services and Staffmark to offer an working lab session for former foster youth to polish and update their resumes and cover letters to make their next career move!
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3/25 Know Your Rights Webinar: Information and Resources for Non-Citizen Youth: Foster Parents, Caregivers and Professionals supporting youth will learn about rights of youth, safety planning essentials, and changes for non-citizen youth in 2026. Come learn from immigration and state law professionals who serve many youth in child protection proceedings and will share essential resources for the youth in your care. Presented by Alison Griffith, Pheng Thao, and OOFY Ombudsperson Misty Coonce.
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