This post was updated on 7-15-24 to include a link to the Child Welfare Information Gateway's factsheet, which provides guidance on leaving your child home alone. Please keep in mind that this is intended only to provide information, not to advise or provide any kind of guidance. If you need specific guidance on if you [...]
Compiled by Mariel Carlson, Graduate Assistant House members have introduced a record 4,708 individual pieces of legislation for the two-year session, as of Wednesday. It is the end of week 10 in the Minnesota Legislative session. Today, April 1st, is the deadline for bills which met last week’s March 25th deadline to move forward [...]
"The abuse of any child in Minnesota is one child too many. No child should have to suffer from the violence or neglect of a family member or other adult. I look forward to the recommendations of this new Task Force, and I urge the Legislature to act on them in January." —Governor Dayton On [...]
This post is in response to the Star Tribune opinion article written by Joanna Woolman and the comments that followed Ms. Woolman's article. A version of this blog post has been submitted to the Star Tribune as a commentary. This post was edited at 3:29 PM, 9/12/14, to clarify current DHS policy. I appreciate Joanna [...]
As mentioned in yesterday's post, Governor Dayton signed into law the omnibus Heath and Human Service Policy bill (H.F. 2402 / Chapter 291) on Wednesday, May 21. The new law includes language that will "require counties to maintain sufficient information to identify repeat reports alleging maltreatment of the same child for 365 days, for reports [...]
Governor Mark Dayton recently signed into law the omnibus health and human services policy bill. Within this bill are a few statutory changes that essentially add up to "no smoking in foster homes/in the vicinity of children and youth in foster care." Prevention of Secondhand Smoke Exposure for Children in Foster Care The main statutory [...]
Last month we observed National Child Abuse Prevention Month. We focused on making meaningful connections as a way to reduce instances of child maltreatment, for such connections strengthen bonds between not only individuals, but also among families and communities. Meaningful connections build support networks for children and families while reinforcing a sense of communal responsibility [...]
Minnesota has had an extended foster care policy since October 1, 2010, meaning that youth can elect to remain in foster care beyond age 18 until age 21. Youth can opt for a traditional foster home placement or a supervised independent living setting. Funding for extended foster care benefits primarily comes from county and federal [...]
