1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing a grant program to implement the child 
1.3 	well-being model; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 256E.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [256E.29] GRANT PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT THE CHILD 
1.7 	WELL-BEING MODEL.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have 
1.9 	the meanings given them.
1.10 	(b) "Child well-being" means that a child is supported in the child's family, school, and 
1.11 	community to have basic competencies in the following domains:
1.12 	(1) appropriate brain development and ability to learn;
1.13 	(2) the ability to have age-appropriate social and emotional relationships with family, 
1.14 	peers, and community members;
1.15 	(3) psychological and behavioral development;
1.16 	(4) physical health; and
1.17 	(5) spiritual and cultural well-being, with the child as an essential participant and valued 
1.18 	member of the child's community.
1.19 	(c) "Local social services agency" means an agency established under section 393.01, 
1.20 	including local social services agencies operating under a joint powers agreement.
2.1 		Subd. 2.Innovation and improvement in child well-being grant program established.
 2.2 	In any biennium in which appropriations are made for the purposes of this section, the 
2.3 	commissioner shall award grants to up to three local social services agencies for the 
2.4 	development, implementation, and evaluation of projects and initiatives to promote child 
2.5 	well-being and achieve positive outcomes for children under the responsibility of the local 
2.6 	social services agency according to section 393.07, subdivision 1. Child well-being is 
2.7 	promoted through the following activities:
2.8 	(1) meeting the child's basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter;
2.9 	(2) meeting the child's need for attachment to at least one caring and competent adult;
2.10 	(3) minimizing toxic social and biological conditions for children;
2.11 	(4) teaching, promoting, and reinforcing positive social behavior;
2.12 	(5) limiting opportunities for problem behavior;
2.13 	(6) promoting psychological flexibility and a mindful approach to pursuing values;
2.14 	(7) minimizing caregiver disruption; and
2.15 	(8) creating a child welfare system responsive to families and communities.
2.16 		Subd. 3.Process. (a) The commissioner shall develop criteria, procedures, and deadlines 
2.17 	to award up to three competitive grants to local social services agencies for projects and 
2.18 	initiatives to promote child well-being and achieve positive outcomes.
2.19 	(b) The commissioner shall approve grant applications and collaborate with grantees to 
2.20 	develop strategies and approaches to improve child well-being statewide, facilitating the 
2.21 	sharing of knowledge and expertise between counties throughout the state.
2.22 	(c) The commissioner shall collaborate with grantees to support the development and 
2.23 	implementation of grantee strategies and conduct ongoing evaluation of the progress of 
2.24 	grantee projects and initiatives.
2.25 	(d) Grants funded under this section may supplement, but shall not supplant, county, 
2.26 	state, or federal funds received for child welfare services.
2.27 	(e) The commissioner is authorized to waive existing requirements under state law and 
2.28 	rules for grant recipients under this section, if necessary to implement grant-funded projects 
2.29 	and initiatives, provided that the waiver does not conflict with the purposes and benefits of 
2.30 	existing state or federal laws relating to child welfare. No waiver shall exceed the approved 
2.31 	duration of a grantee project or initiative under this section.
3.1 	(f) The commissioner may begin establishing grant criteria and allocating grant funds 
3.2 	the day following final enactment of this section. Initial grants must be awarded no later 
3.3 	than September 1, 2017. A grant may be awarded upon the signing of a grant contract.
3.4 		Subd. 4.Grant program criteria. (a) To receive a grant under this section, an applicant 
3.5 	must submit an application to the commissioner. An application must contain information 
3.6 	as specified by the commissioner but, at a minimum, must contain:
3.7 	(1) a description of specific plans to promote child well-being using the strategies 
3.8 	identified in subdivision 2; and
3.9 	(2) a description of achievable objectives, a work plan, and a timeline for implementation 
3.10 	and completion of projects or initiatives enabled by the grant.
3.11 	(b) In determining which local social services agencies receive grants under this section, 
3.12 	the commissioner shall give preference to grant applications that plan to implement more 
3.13 	than one strategy identified in subdivision 2, and that plan to improve competencies in more 
3.14 	than one domain of child well-being listed in subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
3.15 	(c) The commissioner shall award at least one grant to a local social services agency 
3.16 	located in an urban area and shall award at least one grant to a local social services agency 
3.17 	located in a rural area.
3.18 	(d) The commissioner shall award grants based on the quality of the proposal, geographic 
3.19 	location, and population diversity of the counties covered by the local social services agencies 
3.20 	applying for grants under this section.
3.21 	(e) The commissioner must award grants so that at least 25 percent of the total number 
3.22 	of children served by local social services agencies in the state at the time of the application 
3.23 	deadline would stand to benefit from the grant projects.
3.24 	(f) The commissioner shall base the amount of each grant award on the proportion of 
3.25 	screened-in child maltreatment reports received by each grantee in the preceding calendar 
3.26 	year, compared to the total number of screened-in child maltreatment reports received by 
3.27 	all grantees in the preceding calendar year.
3.28 		Subd. 5.Measurable outcomes. Subject to approval by the commissioner, grantees 
3.29 	shall establish measurable outcomes to determine the effectiveness of the activities funded 
3.30 	by the grants under this section. The development of measurable outcomes must be completed 
3.31 	before any funds are distributed under this section.
3.32 		Subd. 6.Evaluation. (a) Using the outcomes established according to subdivision 5, 
3.33 	the commissioner shall conduct an evaluation of programs and initiatives funded under this 
4.1 	section no later than September 1 of each year, beginning in 2018. Grant recipients shall 
4.2 	cooperate with the commissioner in the evaluation and shall provide the commissioner with 
4.3 	the information needed to conduct the evaluation, including information on administrative 
4.4 	and staffing costs.
4.5 	(b) The commissioner shall submit a report on outcomes and the effectiveness of the 
4.6 	child well-being grant program to the legislative task force on child protection no later than 
4.7 	December 1, 2019, and by December 1 of the second year of any biennium in which grants 
4.8 	are made under this section.

4.9 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 4.10 	(a) $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2018 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
4.11 	commissioner of human services to administer the grant program described in Minnesota 
4.12 	Statutes, section 256E.29. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2019.
4.13 	(b) $33,350,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $33,350,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated 
4.14 	from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for child protection staffing 
4.15 	and services under Minnesota Statutes, section 256M.41.