1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; creating the Disparities Reduction Advisory Council;
1.3 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [256.4831] DISPARITIES REDUCTION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; members. (a) There is hereby established the 
1.7 	Disparities Reduction Advisory Council. The council must consist of no fewer than 15 
1.8 	and no more than 30 members appointed by the commissioner of human services, in 
1.9 	consultation with county, tribal, community, and parent representatives. The purpose of 
1.10 	the council is to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in service access and outcomes for 
1.11 	programs funded by the Department of Human Services. The commissioner shall develop 
1.12 	guidelines defining the membership of the council, setting out definitions, and developing 
1.13 	duties of the commissioner, the council, and council members regarding racial and ethnic 
1.14 	disparities reduction. The guidelines must be developed in consultation with county, 
1.15 	tribal, community, and parent representatives. Members must be appointed to allow for 
1.16 	representation of the following groups:
1.17 	(1) racial and ethnic minority groups;
1.18 	(2) tribal service providers;
1.19 	(3) culturally and linguistically specific advocacy groups and service providers;
1.20 	(4) human services program participants;
1.21 	(5) public and private institutions;
1.22 	(6) parents of human services program participants;
1.23 	(7) members of the faith community;
1.24 	(8) Department of Human Services employees; and
2.1 	(9) any other group the commissioner deems appropriate to facilitate the goals 
2.2 	and duties of the council.
2.3 	(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 15.059, each member of the council 
2.4 	must be appointed to either a one-year or two-year term. The commissioner shall appoint 
2.5 	one member as chair. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 15.059, the council does 
2.6 	not expire unless directed by the commissioner.
2.7 		Subd. 2.Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following definitions 
2.8 	apply:
2.9 	(1) "racial, ethnic, cultural, or linguistic disparities" means differences in program 
2.10 	outcomes, service quality, access, utilization, or participation rates that are considered to 
2.11 	be unfair, unjust, or inequitable;
2.12 	(2) "culturally appropriate" and "culturally sensitive" refer to quality services that 
2.13 	are provided with consideration of specific characteristics of the individual participant, 
2.14 	including, but not limited to, cultural values, norms, attitudes, expectations, beliefs, and 
2.15 	preferences.
2.16 		Subd. 3.Duties of the commissioner. The commissioner of human services shall:
2.17 	(1) maintain the council established in this section;
2.18 	(2) supervise and coordinate services and policies for persons from racial, ethnic, 
2.19 	cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities who experience disparities in access and 
2.20 	outcomes;
2.21 	(3) contract with qualified agencies or employ staff to carry out the recommendations 
2.22 	of the council;
2.23 	(4) investigate the need for the development of new human services rules or statutes 
2.24 	that would benefit affected persons from racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal 
2.25 	communities;
2.26 	(5) investigate present and potential models of service coordination which can be 
2.27 	delivered in a culturally sensitive and competent manner and which achieve positive 
2.28 	outcomes for the service recipients; and
2.29 	(6) based on recommendations of the council, review identified department policies 
2.30 	that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities and make adjustments 
2.31 	to ensure those disparities are not perpetuated.
2.32 		Subd. 4.Duties of the council. The Disparities Reduction Advisory Council shall:
2.33 	(1) recommend to the commissioner for review identified policies in the Department 
2.34 	of Human Services that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities;
2.35 	(2) coordinate identified issues regarding disparities by engaging diverse populations 
2.36 	in human services systems and engaging in mutual learning essential for achieving human 
3.1 	services parity and optimal wellness for service recipients. The council shall strive to raise 
3.2 	awareness about human services disparities to the legislature and media;
3.3 	(3) provide technical assistance and consultation support to counties, private 
3.4 	nonprofit agencies, and other service providers, to support their efforts to provide equitable 
3.5 	human services for persons from racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities 
3.6 	who experience disparities in access and outcomes;
3.7 	(4) provide technical assistance to promote statewide development of culturally 
3.8 	and linguistically appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services assistance 
3.9 	and related policy;
3.10 	(5) provide training and outreach to facilitate access to culturally and linguistically 
3.11 	appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services to prevent disparities;
3.12 	(6) facilitate culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive admissions, continued 
3.13 	services, discharges, and utilization review for human services agencies and institutions;
3.14 	(7) form work groups to help carry out the duties of the council that include, but are 
3.15 	not limited to, persons who provide and receive services and representatives of advocacy 
3.16 	groups, and provide the work groups with clear guidelines, standardized parameters, and 
3.17 	tasks for the work groups to accomplish; and
3.18 	(8) promote information sharing in the human services community and statewide.
3.19 		Subd. 5.Duties of the council members. Each member of the Disparities 
3.20 	Reduction Advisory Council shall:
3.21 	(1) attend and participate in scheduled meetings and be prepared by reviewing 
3.22 	meeting notes;
3.23 	(2) maintain open communication channels with respective constituencies;
3.24 	(3) identify and communicate issues and risks that could impact the timely 
3.25 	completion of tasks;
3.26 	(4) collaborate on disparity reduction efforts;
3.27 	(5) communicate updates of the council's work progress and status on the 
3.28 	Department of Human Service's Web site; and
3.29 	(6) participate in any activities the council or chair deem appropriate and necessary 
3.30 	to facilitate the goals and duties of the council.