1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; modifying chemical use assessments; imposing duties 
1.3 	on the commissioner of human services related to chemical health; requiring 
1.4 	reports;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 254A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [254A.20] CHEMICAL USE ASSESSMENTS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Persons arrested outside of home county. When a chemical use 
1.8 	assessment is required under Minnesota Rules, parts 9530.6600 to 9530.6655, for a person 
1.9 	who is arrested and taken into custody by a peace officer outside of the person's county 
1.10 	of residence, the assessment must be completed by the person's county of residence no 
1.11 	later than three weeks after the assessment is initially requested. If the assessment is 
1.12 	not performed within this time limit, the county where the person is to be sentenced 
1.13 	shall perform the assessment. The county of financial responsibility is determined under 
1.14 	chapter 256G.
1.15 		Subd. 2.Probation officer as contact. When a chemical use assessment is required 
1.16 	under Minnesota Rules, parts 9530.6600 to 9530.6655, for a person who is on probation 
1.17 	or under other correctional supervision, the assessor, either orally or in writing, shall 
1.18 	contact the person's probation officer to verify or supplement the information provided 
1.19 	by the person.
1.20 		Subd. 3.Financial conflicts of interest. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), an 
1.21 	assessor conducting a chemical use assessment under Minnesota Rules, parts 9530.6600 
1.22 	to 9530.6655, may not have any direct or shared financial interest or referral relationship 
1.23 	resulting in shared financial gain with a treatment provider.
2.1 	(b) A county may contract with an assessor having a conflict described in paragraph 
2.2 	(a) if the county documents that:
2.3 	(1) the assessor is employed by a culturally specific service provider or a service 
2.4 	provider with a program designed to treat individuals of a specific age, sex, or sexual 
2.5 	preference; or
2.6 	(2) the county does not employ a sufficient number of qualified assessors and the 
2.7 	only qualified assessors available in the county have a direct or shared financial interest or 
2.8 	a referral relationship resulting in shared financial gain with a treatment provider.
2.9 	An assessor under this paragraph may not place clients in treatment. The assessor 
2.10 	shall gather required information and provide it to the county along with any required 
2.11 	documentation. The county shall make all placement decisions for clients assessed by 
2.12 	assessors under this paragraph.

2.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007, except for subdivision 
2.14 	3, which is effective July 1, 2009.

2.15 	Sec. 2. [254A.25] DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER RELATED TO CHEMICAL 
2.16 	HEALTH.
2.17 	The commissioner shall:
2.18 	(1) annually distribute information to chemical health assessors on best practices in 
2.19 	assessments, including model instruments for adults and adolescents;
2.20 	(2) monitor the compliance of local agencies with assessment and referral rules;
2.21 	(3) develop a directory that identifies key characteristics of each licensed chemical 
2.22 	dependency treatment program;
2.23 	(4) work with the commissioner of health to develop guidelines and training 
2.24 	materials for health care organizations on the use of brief interventions for alcohol and 
2.25 	chemical substance abuse;
2.26 	(5) provide local agencies with examples of best practices for addressing needs of 
2.27 	persons being considered for repeat placements into publicly funded treatment;
2.28 	(6) identify best practices to help local agencies monitor the progress of clients 
2.29 	placed in treatment;
2.30 	(7) periodically provide local agencies with statewide information on treatment 
2.31 	outcomes; and
2.32 	(8) post copies of state licensing reviews  at an online location where they may be 
2.33 	reviewed by agencies that make client placements.

3.1 	Sec. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGING CONSOLIDATED 
3.2 	CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY TREATMENT FUND.
 3.3 	The commissioner shall report to the legislature by January 15, 2008, on 
3.4 	recommendations which analyze the merits of changing the statutory maintenance of 
3.5 	effort provisions in the chemical dependency treatment fund and the feasibility of posting 
3.6 	treatment program peer reviews at an online location where they can be viewed by 
3.7 	agencies that make client placements.

3.8 	Sec. 4. PLAN FOR IMPROVING COMMUNITY-BASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE 
3.9 	TREATMENT.
 3.10 	The commissioner of human services shall present a plan to the legislature by 
3.11 	January 15, 2008, for improving the availability of community-based substance abuse 
3.12 	treatment.