The Child Protection Task Force which was convened by Governor Mark Dayton made 93 recommendations which will reform aspects of the Minnesota child protection system. The Legislative Task Force on Child Protection was recently formed to review the efforts being made to implement the Governor’s Task Force recommendations. The task force convenes monthly at the State Office Building in Saint Paul and is co-chaired by Representative Ron Kresha and Senator Kathy Sheran. The new legislative task force has five charges:

  • Review the efforts made to implement the recommendations of the Governors Task Force, including reviewing roles and functions of the Office of Ombudsperson for Families
  • Expand the efforts (of the Governors Task Force) into related areas of the child welfare system
  • Work with the commission of human services and community partners to establish and evaluate child protection grants to address disparities in child welfare
  • Identify additional areas within the child welfare system that need to be addressed by the legislature

The task force may also provide oversight and monitoring of the following:

  • Efforts by the Department of Human Services (DHS), counties, and tribes to implement laws related to child protection
  • Efforts by DHS, counties, and tribes to implement the recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force
  • Efforts by agencies (including but not limited to MN Department of Education, Minnesota Housing Finance Authority, MN Department of corrections, and MN Department of Public Safety) to work with DHS to assure safety and well-being of children at risk of harm or children in the child welfare system
  • Efforts by DHS, other agencies, counties, and tribes to implement best practices to ensure every child is protected from maltreatment and neglect and to ensure every child has the opportunity for healthy development
[tweet_dis]The implementation of the recommendations has been split into three workgroups: Screening and Intake, Professional Development, and Child Fatality/Near Fatality[/tweet_dis]. Each workgroup carries a different charge and each has set timelines to accomplish their respective charges. CASCW staff are represented on two of the three committees along with many other representatives from counties, DHS, law enforcement, county attorneys office, public defenders, doctors, parent leaders, school staff, domestic violence advocates, and alcohol and other drug specialists (ADOA). Based upon this representation, CASCW will continue to provide regular updates on workgroup activity through this policy blog. It should be noted that Minnesota tribes were invited to participate in the workgroups and the tribes decided that they would not have individual representation on any of the workgroups. Rather, DHS will create an ongoing communication process with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) council, in which tribes can provide more comprehensive feedback.

Screening and Intake

The screening and intake workgroup is working to revise the current screening guidelines and plans to have them published by October 1st. Training on the new guidelines will begin immediately and take place throughout the fall of 2015. The workgroup will also issue guidance on Alternative Response (Family Assessment) and Family Investigation response determination by the end of 2015. On January 1st, 2016, counties must be prepared to implement the new screening and intake guidelines.

Professional Development

The professional development workgroup has begun its work by identifying child welfare competencies for Minnesota’s workforce. They will continue to finalize these with county, tribal and other stakeholder input over the next couple of months. The workgroup plans to have the structured decision making framework finalized and a review of supervisor trainings completed by February of 2016 and by April of 2016 the workgroup will select a statewide training and certification model. Finally, by July of 2016 active development of a new Training Academy will occur.

Child Fatality/Near fatality Recommendations

By November of 2015 this workgroup plans to develop a review process for child fatalities/near fatalities which occur across the State. In early 2016, the group will develop a protocol for psychological first aid to be used in the field as well as developing a website for public disclosure of fatality review information. The new review process will commence in March 2016.

Foster Care Workgroup

In July of 2015, Minnesota’s Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson appointed the Foster Care Workgroup. The workgroup was formed in order to address concerns about the child foster care system and provide recommendations on how to improve the system. Members of the workgroup include representation from the courts, tribes, DHS, Department of Education, parent leaders, foster parents, law enforcement, and the Department of Corrections. The workgroup will make recommendations on the following:

  • Recruitment, application and licensing processes for foster homes (county, tribal, and private agencies)
  • Policies that determine how children are removed from their homes, focus on how to minimize and treat trauma
  • Quality and availability of staffing and resources, including case coordination to improve educational outcomes, medication management, screenings, referrals and monitoring, family visitation planning, and reunification and permanency planning.

The work group will also address a number of other topics, including: Northstar Care for Children, Minnesota Assessment of Parenting Children and Youth, child maltreatment reports in foster care (screening, investigation, licensing notification), curricula and training resources for foster care providers, reunification and aftercare support services, racial disproportionality in foster care, sex trafficked youth in foster care, and reasonable and prudent parent standards.

The foster care work group will provide their initial report to DHS and the public by the end of 2015, and final recommendations in March 2016.