The document discusses advocacy efforts since 2006 to establish a Youth Ombudsman Office in Ohio. Key points include: 1. Advocating for a Youth Ombudsman Office that is separate from the state's child welfare agency and able to independently investigate concerns about youth safety and well-being. 2. The office would be specifically designed for and by foster youth/alumni to emphasize youth-centered service delivery. 3. Current safeguards are seen as failing the population served, as demonstrated by prolonged abuse, lack of follow-through on concerns reported to hotlines, and other issues. 4. Efforts are ongoing to engage stakeholders and advocate for the office to ensure it remains focused

1. Peer Support
and Policy Work
since 2006

2. Home for the Holidays

3. Annual Early Thanksgiving
Dinners 2008-current

4. 2015 Statehouse Advocacy Day

5. Advocacy for TANF-Independent Living Funds

6. Neighborhood Notification Act

7. Ohio Police as Mandated Reporters

8. Sibling Connections Matter

9. Annual DC Trips, 2013-current

10. Annual HUD Visits, 2016-current

11. 2019 Meeting with HUD
Secretary Ben Carson

13. Current and former foster youth must be involved in design
to emphasize youth-centered service delivery
Current Safeguards Are Failing Population Served
Separate from ODJFS Office Design
• Prolonged abuse; risk of loss of life.
• Lack of follow-through when youth reach out to local child
abuse hotlines.
• Lack of compliance with the Preventing Sex Trafficking and
Strengthening Families Act re: youth AWOLs.
• Youth experiencing abuse in bio, foster, adoptive, kinship,
respite, residential and group home placements
• This office needs to be youth-specific, and separate from
whatever mechanism is established to support foster
caregivers
• Independent and autonomous agency with oversight specific
to child welfare
• Not part of the state’s division of child and family services
• Possessing regulatory powers
• To ensure that this office is designed by and for foster youth
• Available statewide for youth to reach out and share concerns
related to their safety and well being
• Independent investigations taking place within a speedy
timeframe

18. Importance of staying engaged to ensure that the Ombudsman Office
is youth-focused and able to independently investigate

20. Representative Manchester’s willingness to consider amending HB 4
Two Equal Roles:
- Each with their own division, staff, and budgets
• Can focus on youth experiencing abuse in bio, foster,
adoptive, kinship, respite, residential and group home
placements
• Can partner with other ODJFS OFC staff/departments to assist
youth with other processes, such as
• Verification letters to prove they were in foster care
• Referrals to resources
• Addressing barriers to service access
• Can focus on adults
• Biological parents contesting removal
• Foster parents expressing issues with agencies
• Caseworkers expressing concerns
• Etc.
*This is one of those situations in which “siloed” = good.
Family Ombudsman (Adult Serving)
Youth Ombudsman (Youth/Alumni Serving)
OHIO YAB and ACTION Ohio play an ongoing role in
interviewing for this office and evaluating its success

21. Youth Ombudsman Coalition

23. How we are advocating
for the Youth Ombudsman Office
H.B.
110
Let Others Know
Spread the word
Information Sessions
Ongoing
communication
.
Personal Stories
We need a team to
work on this
Social Media Push
Please submit by
(date)
Legislative Visits
Ongoing
Issue Brief
The parameters
of the Office
State Comparisons
Lessons Learned
from other states
News
Press release,
articles and Op Eds
How you can help in making
this goal a reality: