1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human services; authorizing a grant 
  1.3             program to provide support services to caregivers 
  1.4             experiencing stress; appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [GRANT AUTHORIZATION.] 
  1.7      (a) The commissioner of human services may provide a grant 
  1.8   to a nonprofit organization to establish a statewide mentoring 
  1.9   network to make available support services to caregivers who are 
  1.10  experiencing stress, including abused parents, parents 
  1.11  experiencing stress as a result of participation in 
  1.12  welfare-to-work programs, other highly stressed parents, and 
  1.13  elderly caregivers. 
  1.14     (b) The grant shall be used for the recruitment, training, 
  1.15  and ongoing supervision of caregiver mentors who shall provide 
  1.16  supportive nurturance to clients and referrals to other support 
  1.17  services. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.19     $400,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  1.20  commissioner of human services for the fiscal year beginning 
  1.21  July 1, 1998, for the purposes of section 1.