Oregon Foster Care Ombuds

05/11/2026

May is Foster Care Awareness Month 💙

Behind every statistic is a young person with dreams, talents, challenges, and a story that matters and must be honored. Youth experiencing foster care are more than their circumstances.....They are leaders, artists, students, athletes, dreamers and future changemakers who deserve to feel safe, valued, supported, and empowered.

While each day the Foster Care Ombuds is dedicated to the voices of youth experiencing foster care, this month we especially recognize and shout out to the strength and resilience of these young people. Your future is full of possibility, and we can't wait to see what your future holds. ✨

Warmly,
Alexis & Ellyn

04/08/2026

It’s official!!! Senate Bill 1533 is now Oregon law as of March 31, 2026! 🥳

This new legislation strengthens Oregon’s Foster Children’s Bill of Rights and the Sibling Bill of Rights. Here are a few key updates it brings:

- The right to unimpeded and unmonitored contact with the Residential Facilities Ombudsman, the Children’s Advocate, or a formally designated Foster Care Ombudsman.
- The right to have an attorney or court-appointed advocate of the child’s choosing present during any interview with law enforcement or abuse investigators, regardless of whether the child is interviewed as a witness, victim, or subject individual.
- The right to maintain and have access to personal belongings.
- The right to be notified of and provided transportation to all court hearings and Citizens Review Board reviews about their case.
- The right to regular, maintained, and unrestricted contact with siblings unless a court orders otherwise.

This legislation was shaped by the voices and lived experiences of youth themselves! What a huge win for youth experiencing foster care in Oregon. 👏

In gratitude,
Alexis Amorelli & Ellyn Bell
Oregon Foster Care Ombuds

03/26/2026

Starting today feeling extra energized after meeting with Oregon's Youth Advisory Council (FosterClub) last night! 🥳🥳🥳

What an incredible group of people with lived experience in foster care that have chosen to be CHAMPIONS for change. Thank you to each and every one of these remarkable young people! Thank you for your courage, your honesty, and for allowing the position of the Foster Care Ombuds to be guided by your expertise.

With gratitude,
Alexis Amorelli
Oregon Foster Care Ombuds

Purpose:The Oregon Child Welfare Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a group of young people, ages 14–25, who have been in foster care or other out-of-home placements in Oregon. The council gives youth a chance to speak up, share their experiences, and help shape the foster care system so it actually ...

03/13/2026

👋😃 Heyyyyy!! Did you know you can listen to the very first legislative hearing on Oregon’s Foster Children’s Bill of Rights??

On March 21, 2013, at 3pm, the legislative journey for Senate Bill 123 began. In that hearing, advocates, community leaders, and....most importantly.... young people experiencing foster care shared their voices. These powerful testimonies can be heard following this link, beginning around the 2:20 mark:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/mediaplayer/?clientID=4879615486&eventID=2013031302

Listening today is a powerful reminder that change happens because people have the courage to speak up. 📣 The voices in that room helped make the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights a reality in Oregon. It is an honor to lean into courage as your Foster Care Ombuds, working to bring transparency to powerful systems and to advocate for youth experiencing foster care.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Kindly,
Alexis Amorelli

02/23/2026

‼️➡️ EXCITING NEWS! ⬅️‼️
Good morning, Facebook! I’m excited to share an update on the legislative concept I mentioned in January. LC 68 became Senate Bill 1533 and passed out of the Senate unanimously! Here is a link to this Senate Bill if you haven't read it yet:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1533/A-Engrossed

This legislation includes changes that will strengthen Oregon’s Foster Children’s Bill of Rights and Sibling Bill of Rights. I had the honor of traveling to the Capitol to witness a Senate hearing, where individuals with lived experience shared powerful public testimony. It was truly incredible to witness …. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. 🥳

Next Step: There will be a public hearing TOMORROW (2-24-2026) in the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. This is the next step in the Oregon legislative process.

If you would like to share your voice on this potential law, you can submit testimony either verbally or in writing. You can find instructions on how to submit testimony here:

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/Submit-Exhibits.aspx

As always, I’m here to help in any way I can, and I will continue to share updates as this moves forward.

Sending you light and happiness,
Alexis
Oregon's Foster Care Ombuds

01/13/2026

🎉 Oregon Legislative Updates! 🎉
Hello, Facebook friends!
Oregon’s Legislative Days kick off today through Thursday, and there’s even more ahead —> the 2026 Short Legislative Session begins February 2nd! 🏛️✨

So, what could this mean for you?

One exciting opportunity is YOUTH VOICE time during meetings of the Senate Interim Committee on Human Services. If you are a current or former youth with lived experience in child welfare, you are invited to share written or verbal testimony on any topic you choose. This is a powerful chance to have your voice heard directly by lawmakers! 🎤💬

I also want to highlight a Legislative Concept I’ll be closely tracking: LC 68.

Here is the link if you would like to read this in its entirety:
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025I1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/311201

This proposal would make long-needed improvements to the Oregon Foster Children’s Bill of Rights and the Sibling Bill of Rights, strengthening advocacy efforts and helping Oregon move toward better, more responsive services for youth experience foster care. 🌱💙 Your voice matters more than ever. 👉 How will you get involved?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Warmly,
Alexis Amorelli
Oregon’s Foster Care Ombudsman

12/17/2025

Hello, Facebook! 🤗 As promised, here is the job posting for the Oregon Foster Care Ombudsman position! Please consider joining our team or share with someone you think might be interested!! Warmly,
Alexis

Initial Posting Date: 12/16/2025 Application Deadline: 12/30/2025 Agency: Department of Human Services Salary Range: $6,667 - $9,830 Position Type: Employee Position Title: Foster Care Ombuds (Operations and Policy Analyst 3) Job Description: The Oregon Department of Human Services is proud to be an...

12/11/2025

Big News! 🎉🎉🎉

I will be joining the Ombudsman team in the Governor’s Advocacy Office, which fulfills the duties of the Children’s Advocate! Recruitment for the next Foster Care Ombudsman is already in process. I’m deeply committed to a smooth transition and will remain closely connected to support the new Foster Care Ombudsman in whatever ways they need. After nearly two years as Oregon’s Foster Care Ombudsman, I’m excited for this new challenge, while continuing to support accountability in state programs.

I’ll share the live job posting here as soon as it is available. 😊

Warmly,
Alexis Amorelli

12/09/2025

🚨🔥 BIG OPPORTUNITY ALERT! 🔥🚨

I just learned about something incredible, and I HAVE to share it! The Congressional Leadership Academy (CLA) is a nine-month leadership adventure that is designed for youth with current or former foster care experience (18 to 30 years old) who are ready to use their voice, level up their leadership skills, and create real change! 💪✨

CLA participants meet with members of Congress, learn how to advocate for a stronger child-welfare program, and help shape a system where children and young adults can truly thrive. This is the kind of opportunity that opens doors! 🚀🌟

👉 Youth with lived experience: This could be an incredible opportunity for you!
👉 Advocates & allies: Share this with a young person who’s ready to shine!

I’ll post the website & the 2026 application link in the comments of this post! 🙌💥