HF 342

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to corrections; authorizing a grant for mentoring children of incarcerated
parents; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 299A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [299A.82] MENTORING GRANT FOR CHILDREN OF
INCARCERATED PARENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Mentoring grant. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of public safety may award a
grant to a nonprofit organization that is located in the greater Twin Cities area and provides
one-to-one mentoring relationships to youth enrolled between the ages of seven to 13
whose parent or other significant family member is incarcerated in a county workhouse,
county jail, state prison, or other type of correctional facility or is subject to correctional
supervision. The intent of the grant is to provide children with adult mentors to strengthen
developmental outcomes, including enhanced self-confidence and esteem; improved
academic performance; and improved relationships with peers, family, and other adults
that may prevent them from entering the juvenile justice system.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant criteria. new text end

new text begin As a condition of receiving the grant, the grant recipient
must:
new text end

new text begin (1) collaborate with other organizations that have a demonstrated history of
providing services to youth and families in disadvantaged situations;
new text end

new text begin (2) implement procedures to ensure that 100 percent of the mentors pose no safety
risk to the child and have the skills to participate in a mentoring relationship;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide enhanced training to mentors focusing on asset building and family
dynamics when a parent is incarcerated; and
new text end

new text begin (4) provide an individual family plan and aftercare.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program evaluation. new text end

new text begin The grant recipient must submit an evaluation plan
to the commissioner delineating the program and student outcome goals and activities
implemented to achieve the stated outcomes. The goals must be clearly stated and
measurable. The grant recipient must collect, analyze, and report on participation and
outcome data that enable the department to verify that the program goals were met.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of corrections
for the grant authorized in section 1, $250,000 to be available for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2008, and $250,000 to be available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. This
appropriation shall become part of the base budget.
new text end