Throughout the year we have been following the Governor’s Task Force on the Protection of Children from its creation through the debates and now to the final report and recommendations that were released in March. All of the recommendations have an impact on either statute, practice, training, the social service information system, the Department of [...]
The two human services policy bills, SF 1356 (authored by Senators Sheran and Lourey) and its companion bill HF 1535 (authored by Rep. Mack), modify the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA), out-of-home placement provisions, and reporting requirements of maltreatment. Most of the child welfare changes found in this bill specifically impact Indian child welfare [...]
Figure 6. Children in Out-of-home Care per 1,000 by Race/Ethnicity, 2004–2013. Source: Minnesota's Child Welfare Report 2013, Department of Human Services (p. 10) A few weeks ago, a Star Tribune article raised the issue of child protection reform and its impact on families of color. The short article leaves a lot to be explored. My [...]
Tonight at Last week the committee heard testimony on the house budget resolution. Testimonials urged for investment in services for adults with disabilities, education, and improvement of the state's infrastructure. Bills that we're keeping our eye on include SF 825 and SF 1356. SF 825 covers reimbursement of child welfare agency costs and tribal customary [...]
Decades of policy advocacy have led to numerous changes in our child welfare system. Some have said the current changes to public child welfare harken back to reform in 80s that workers hoped would have a longer lasting effect than it has. In order to really understand the policies that impact child welfare, it is [...]
The House and Senate introduced their 2015-2016 Health and Human Services (HHS) Omnibus Bills that will establish the HHS budget for the next two years: SF 825 and HF 850. The bill covers everything from child protection to health care to food services. This post will highlight the proposed policy changes to past child welfare [...]
With the call for child protection system reform in Minnesota has come a maelstrom of opinions about what works and what doesn't for keeping children safe and protecting their overall well-being. Recent legislation has focused on improving aspects of the system's ability to prioritize high-risk maltreatment cases and ensure child safety. Amid the discussion on [...]
Board of Social Work Budget Proposal Kate Zacher-Pate, Executive Director of the Minnesota Board of Social Work (BOSW), presented the BOSW budget proposal at the House Health and Human Services (HHS) Finance Committee meeting last Thursday. The proposal included recommendations for enforcing social work licensure for those who are practicing social work without a license [...]
