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Plans quarterly projects to raise awareness of issues in the foster care system and advocates for youth currently in care. Purpose is to be a voice for former foster youth, promote and educate about the foster care system, and work for positive change. Focuses on: - Advocacy: Youth meet with legislators, judges, attorneys and social workers to address needs and wants of youth in care - Collaboration: Youth meet with other Youth Leadership Councils from around the state to discuss and plan ways to make a change in systems and provide greater community awareness - Community Development: Youth plan community events to celebrate foster youth and raise awareness of the foster care system and what life is like as a youth in care - Leadership: Youth meet weekly to dscuss and plan projects and upcoming events related to foster care awareness and advocacy

Support and assistance to foster care families by providing: - 24-hour on-call crisis management - Access to Village Ranch's "Continuum of Care" - Assigned program coordinator/case manager providing weekly contact and support to the families - Assistance in providing training and accessing community resources to meet the needs of the child and licensing requirements - Assistance and support in addressing educational needs - Development of placement plans, identifying goals, and monitoring progress toward goals - Minimum of twice per month visits to the foster care homes and visits with the children in placement Village Ranch will work collaboratively with the placing agency, families, the court system, and other individuals involved to support the child and the goals of the placement.

The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson handles complaints from anyone, prioritizing concerns about young people's rights, care, safety, and placement in Minnesota foster care, including youth in Extended Foster Care and those who have recently aged out of care. Services may include: - Communicate what happens after a complaint is submitted - Consider all sides of a question in an impartial way - Follow requirements for confidentiality and data privacy - Help to answer questions about rights in foster care - Investigate complaints in a fair and neutral manner - Listen to people in foster care about concerns and complaints - Make recommendations to agencies and workers - Provide information and resources - Write reports to the governor, legislature, and the public

NOTE: Represents foster children only; does NOT work with custody issues Provides direct legal representation for children and youth ages 10 -21 who are abused or neglected in the foster care system. Staff and volunteers are court-appointed by Hennepin and Ramsey counties who enter children protection in Ramsey County or who are state wards in Hennepin County, as well as other appointments from other counties upon request. Other services provided: - CLC engages in systemic reform benefiting all of Minnesota's foster children. These projects include advocating for policy and legislation regarding children's rights, participating in collaborative working groups focused on children's issues, writing amicus briefs to state and federal appellate courts, serving on statewide and nationwide committees and task forces that address children' issues. - CLC recruits and trains volunteer attorneys to represent foster children in child protection and state wards proceedings and provides ongoing consultation to the attorney - CLC staff works in partnership with a volunteer attorney to provide advocacy for children in foster care in court and legal proceedings. CLC's volunteer attorneys advocate for foster children by ensuring they understand what is happening to them, informing them of their options, and empowering them to have a voice in the decisions that are made about their lives. - The range of issues includes court reviews, appropriate placement, permanency planning, transition to adulthood, sibling contacts, and access to critical services including health care, education and financial benefits

- Classes designed to prepare a woman emotionally, psychologically and physically for childbirth. - Labor/Delivery Classes - Five 2-hour sessions in 5th to 6th month of pregnancy $45 fee. - Infant Care - Two 2-hour sessions - No charge for class - Breast Feeding & Nutrition Classes - One 2-hour session - No Charge - They do have "scholarships" available for those who want to attend but cannot afford the fee. - First Saturday of every month

Offers a range of mental health services to help clients integrate mental health into their overall wellness. Programs that address: - Adolescent support group - African American adolescent services - Difficult life transitions - Domestic violence for heterosexual couples - Family Counseling - Foster care and adoption support for children and adoptive families - Masculinity and manhood - Raising bi-racial children Individual counseling to address: - Adolescent adjustment -transition to adulthood - Alcohol tobacco and other drug addiction prevention and education - Anger/assertiveness - Cognitive restructuring - Grief and loss - Mood disorders - Trauma (related to abuse, abandonment, neglect, and trauma)