1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing a crisis nursery grant program; 
1.3 	appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
1.4 	chapter 256F.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [256F.15] GRANT PROGRAM FOR CRISIS NURSERIES.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Crisis nurseries. The commissioner of human services shall 
1.8 	establish a grant program to assist private and public agencies and organizations to 
1.9 	provide crisis nurseries to offer services and temporary care to families experiencing crisis 
1.10 	situations including children who are at high risk of abuse and neglect, children who have 
1.11 	been abused and neglected, and children who are in families receiving child protective 
1.12 	services.  This service shall be provided without a fee for a maximum of 30 days in any 
1.13 	year.  Crisis nurseries shall provide short-term case management, family support services, 
1.14 	parent education, crisis intervention, referrals, and resources, as needed.
1.15 	(a) The crisis nurseries must provide a spectrum of services that may include, but 
1.16 	are not limited to:
1.17 	(1) being available 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
1.18 	(2) providing services for children up to 72 hours at any one time;
1.19 	(3) providing short-term case management to bridge the gap between crisis and 
1.20 	successful living;
1.21 	(4) making referrals for parents to counseling services and other community 
1.22 	resources to help alleviate the underlying cause of the precipitating stress or crisis;
1.23 	(5) providing services without a fee for a maximum of 30 days in any year;
2.1 	(6) providing services to families with children from birth through 12 years of age, 
2.2 	as services are available;
2.3 	(7) providing an immediate response to family needs and strengths with an initial 
2.4 	assessment and intake interview, making referrals to appropriate agencies or programs, 
2.5 	and providing temporary care of children, as needed;
2.6 	(8) maintaining the clients' confidentiality to the extent required by law, and also 
2.7 	complying with statutory reporting requirements which may mandate a report to child 
2.8 	protective services;
2.9 	(9) providing a volunteer component and support for volunteers;
2.10 	(10) providing preservice training and ongoing training to providers and volunteers;
2.11 	(11) evaluating the services provided by documenting use of services, the result of 
2.12 	family referrals made to community resources, and how the services reduced the risk of 
2.13 	maltreatment;
2.14 	(12) providing developmental assessments;
2.15 	(13) providing medical assessments as determined by using a risk screening tool;
2.16 	(14) providing parent education classes or programs that include parent-child 
2.17 	interaction either on site or in collaboration with other community agencies; and
2.18 	(15) having a multidisciplinary advisory board which may include one or more 
2.19 	parents who have used the crisis nursery services.
2.20 	(b) The crisis nurseries are encouraged to provide opportunities for parents to 
2.21 	volunteer, if appropriate.
2.22 	(c) Parents shall retain custody of their children during placement in a crisis facility.
2.23 		Subd. 2.Fund distribution. In distributing funds, the commissioner shall give 
2.24 	priority consideration to agencies and organizations with experience in working with 
2.25 	abused or neglected children and their families, and with children at high risk of abuse and 
2.26 	neglect and their families, and serve communities which demonstrate the greatest need 
2.27 	for these services.  Funds shall be distributed to crisis nurseries according to a formula 
2.28 	developed by the commissioner in consultation with the Minnesota Crisis Nursery 
2.29 	Association.  The formula shall include funding for all existing crisis nursery programs 
2.30 	that have been previously funded through the Department of Human Services and that 
2.31 	meet program requirements as specified in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), and consideration 
2.32 	of factors reflecting the need for services in each service area, including but not limited to 
2.33 	the number of children 18 years of age and under living in the service area, the percent 
2.34 	of children 18 years of age and under living in poverty in the service area, and factors 
2.35 	reflecting the cost of providing services, including but not limited to the number of hours 
2.36 	of service provided in the previous year.

3.1 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.2 	$1,100,000 in fiscal year 2008 and $1,100,000 in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated 
3.3 	from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for the grant program 
3.4 	described in section 1. Of this amount, $100,000 each year is to be made available for 
3.5 	capacity development and technical support for crisis nurseries.