Compiled by Mariel Carlson (she/her/hers), Graduate Assistant

We are reaching the end of week 9 of the Minnesota Legislative session. Tomorrow, March 25, is the final date for committees in the Minnesota Legislature to act favorably on policy bills in the house of origin. If they do not, bills will not move forward in this session unless there is a special rule.

National Updates: The Children’s Bureau published a Program Instruction (PI) on 3/9, giving guidance to the allocation of state funds, eligibility, and grant application procedures for the Fiscal Year 2022 Children’s Justice Act (CJA) Grant. The CJA Grant allocates funds to states in an effort to better handle investigations and prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases. It specifically hopes to limit the trauma imparted to children who have been sexually abused and exploited.

Updates from Texas: After anti-Trans legislation was passed in Texas, the Travis County District Court blocked the Texas law from being implemented on 3/11 after a lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of a licensed psychologist who is opposed to this mandate and a current Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) employee whose child is transgender. While this is a temporary solution, there ongoing efforts are being made to remedy this harmful law in Texas.

Please follow CASCW’s curated bill tracking account on the Minnesota State Legislature website to keep tabs on what’s happening specifically related to child welfare. You can also find information on House and Senate hearings (all streamed virtually).

Bills of Interest

Mental Health Workforce

HF3418 / SF3406 [Rep. Vang (DFL) and Sen. Utke (R)]

This bill would increase the number of professionals working in mental health. It would expand eligibility for the health professional education loan forgiveness program, establishing a mental health provider supervision grant program and a mental health professional scholarship grant program. Additionally, it will appropriate money for additional training sessions for peer specialists, the cultural and ethnic minority infrastructure grant program, and a website for mental health professionals. 

This bill was introduced in the House and Senate in February 2022 and referred to committees. In the House, it was adopted as amended and referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee on 3/21.

Health Professional Education Loan Forgiveness Program Expansion

HF4354 / SF3811 [Rep. Boldon (DFL) and Sen. Draheim (R)]

This bill expands the health professional loan forgiveness program to include mental health professionals. It would also fund a grant program to fund supervision for mental health professionals and allow supervision to be done by telehealth.

It was introduced in the House on 3/17 and referred to the Committee on Health Finance and Policy. In the Senate, it was introduced on 3/7 and referred to committee, with the latest action being the addition of bipartisan authors on 3/14.

Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health and Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports Rate Increases

HF3271 / SF3091 [Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn (DFL) and Sen. Koran (R)]

This bill would increase medical assistance reimbursement rates for adult rehabilitative mental health services and children’s therapeutic services and supports by ten percent. 

It was introduced in the House on 2/10 and heard in the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee this morning, 3/24, at 10:30am. It was introduced in the Senate and referred to committee on 2/14. Sen. Duckworth (DFL) was added as an author on 2/17.

Children's Residential Treatment Modified

HF3274 / SF3120 [Rep. Fischer (DFL) and Sen. Utke (R)]

This bill modifies requirements related to children’s residential treatment and psychiatric residential treatment facilities. The bill also appropriates American Rescue Plan state fiscal recovery federal fund money to provide emergency funding to children’s residential treatment facilities, and appropriates general fund money for psychiatric residential treatment facility start-up grants.

It was introduced in the House on 2/10 and heard in the Behavioral Health Policy Division on 3/23. In the Senate it was introduced and referred to committee on 2/14.

Youth Recreation Program Employee Mandatory Reporting

HF4312 / SF3805 [Rep. Becker-Finn (DFL) and Sen. Mathews (R)]

This bill would amend the policy from HF310, signed into law in June 2021, regarding youth program employees who are mandated reporters. The effective date of this legislation would be extended to June 1, 2023.

It was introduced in the House on 3/17 and referred to committee. In the Senate, it was introduced 3/7, referred to committee, and recommended to pass. It has been re-referred to the Committee on Human Services Reform Finance and Policy as of 3/22.

Brief Updates

  • HF3845 – A bill establishing the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson was heard in committee on 3/22. Its Senate companion, SF4209, was introduced and referred to committee on 3/23.
  • SF2736 / HF 2671 – A bill that would establish a guardianship process for at-risk juveniles ages 18 to 21, is now on the Senate General Register. This means that it has been passed a vote in the House and is awaiting a vote by the full Senate.
  •  HF4113 – A bill that provides funding for mental health professionals from communities of color and other underrepresented backgrounds, will be heard in the Health Finance and Policy Committee tomorrow, 3/25.

Important Timelines to keep in mind

  • Friday, March 25 – Committees must act favorably on bills in the house of origin
  • Friday, April 1 – Committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body
  • Friday, April 8 – Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills
  • April 9-18 – Legislative Break
  • Monday, May 23 – Last day of session

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for more legislative updates as we gather information and track what’s happening at the Capitol.