With bipartisan support, the Senate yesterday passed legislation that creates the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson. Authored by Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater), this bill seeks to protect Minnesota kids from harm by providing foster care oversight and increasing access to resources for children in the foster system.

Foster kids in Minnesota do not currently have an avenue for intervention when they’re experiencing abuse or neglect. There are also no organizations or entities that track complaints or concerns, demonstrating a clear need for oversight in the interest of the kids. This legislation creates a Board comprised of five youth who are currently in the foster care system and four adults who were previously in the system, in tandem with a variety of attorneys, guardians, and social workers. This board will make recommendations to the Ombudsperson and will provide input from those with first-hand experience in the foster care system. The Ombudsperson will then establish a complaint and oversight process for investigating claims, make recommendations to the Governor, and provide legal advocacy when necessary.

“This bill speaks to the critical needs of our state’s foster care system, and the need for kids in the system to be treated as kindly as we would treat them in our own homes,” said Housley. “Without tools and advocates, the system will continue to fail kids throughout the state. It’s my hope that this new office creates the structure necessary for positive changes, and ensures all kids in the foster care system have the advocacy and support they deserve.”

This legislation passed in the House with broad bipartisan support. With yesterday’s passage in the Senate, the bill heads to the Governor’s desk for a final signature before becoming law.