HF 1983

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

A bill for an act
relating to human services; excluding earnings of a child 18 years of age or
older who is in a plan to transition from foster care for purposes of determining
responsibility for care; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 260C.331,
subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 260C.331, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:

Subdivision 1.

Care, examination, or treatment.

(a) Except where parental rights
are terminated,

(1) whenever legal custody of a child is transferred by the court to a responsible
social services agency,

(2) whenever legal custody is transferred to a person other than the responsible social
services agency, but under the supervision of the responsible social services agency, or

(3) whenever a child is given physical or mental examinations or treatment under
order of the court, and no provision is otherwise made by law for payment for the care,
examination, or treatment of the child, these costs are a charge upon the welfare funds of
the county in which proceedings are held upon certification of the judge of juvenile court.

(b) The court shall order, and the responsible social services agency shall require,
the parents or custodian of a child, while the child is under the age of 18, to use the
total income and resources attributable to the child for the period of care, examination,
or treatment, except for clothing and personal needs allowance as provided in section
256B.35, to reimburse the county for the cost of care, examination, or treatment. Income
and resources attributable to the child include, but are not limited to, Social Security
benefits, supplemental security income (SSI), veterans benefits, railroad retirement
benefits and child support. When the child is over the age of 18, and continues to receive
care, examination, or treatment, the court shall order, and the responsible social services
agency shall require, reimbursement from the child for the cost of care, examination, or
treatment from the income and resources attributable to the child less the clothing and
personal needs allowance. new text begin Income does not include earnings of a child 18 years of age
or older who is employed as part of an independent living plan under section 260C.212,
subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (8), to transition from foster care.
new text end

(c) If the income and resources attributable to the child are not enough to reimburse
the county for the full cost of the care, examination, or treatment, the court shall inquire
into the ability of the parents to support the child and, after giving the parents a reasonable
opportunity to be heard, the court shall order, and the responsible social services agency
shall require, the parents to contribute to the cost of care, examination, or treatment of
the child. When determining the amount to be contributed by the parents, the court shall
use a fee schedule based upon ability to pay that is established by the responsible social
services agency and approved by the commissioner of human services. The income of
a stepparent who has not adopted a child shall be excluded in calculating the parental
contribution under this section.

(d) The court shall order the amount of reimbursement attributable to the parents
or custodian, or attributable to the child, or attributable to both sources, withheld under
chapter 518A from the income of the parents or the custodian of the child. A parent or
custodian who fails to pay without good reason may be proceeded against for contempt, or
the court may inform the county attorney, who shall proceed to collect the unpaid sums,
or both procedures may be used.

(e) If the court orders a physical or mental examination for a child, the examination
is a medically necessary service for purposes of determining whether the service is
covered by a health insurance policy, health maintenance contract, or other health
coverage plan. Court-ordered treatment shall be subject to policy, contract, or plan
requirements for medical necessity. Nothing in this paragraph changes or eliminates
benefit limits, conditions of coverage, co-payments or deductibles, provider restrictions,
or other requirements in the policy, contract, or plan that relate to coverage of other
medically necessary services.