HF 460

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:37am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing a crisis nursery grant program;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 256F.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

[256F.15] GRANT PROGRAM FOR CRISIS NURSERIES.

Subdivision 1.

Crisis nurseries.

The commissioner of human services shall
establish a grant program to assist private and public agencies and organizations to
provide crisis nurseries to offer services and temporary care to families experiencing crisis
situations including children who are at high risk of abuse and neglect, children who have
been abused and neglected, and children who are in families receiving child protective
services. This service shall be provided without a fee for a maximum of 30 days in any
year. Crisis nurseries shall provide short-term case management, family support services,
parent education, crisis intervention, referrals, and resources, as needed.

(a) The crisis nurseries must provide a spectrum of services that may include, but
are not limited to:

(1) being available 24 hours a day, seven days a week;

(2) providing services for children up to 72 hours at any one time;

(3) providing short-term case management to bridge the gap between crisis and
successful living;

(4) making referrals for parents to counseling services and other community
resources to help alleviate the underlying cause of the precipitating stress or crisis;

(5) providing services without a fee for a maximum of 30 days in any year;

(6) providing services to families with children from birth through 12 years of age,
as services are available;

(7) providing an immediate response to family needs and strengths with an initial
assessment and intake interview, making referrals to appropriate agencies or programs,
and providing temporary care of children, as needed;

(8) maintaining the clients' confidentiality to the extent required by law, and also
complying with statutory reporting requirements which may mandate a report to child
protective services;

(9) providing a volunteer component and support for volunteers;

(10) providing preservice training and ongoing training to providers and volunteers;

(11) evaluating the services provided by documenting use of services, the result of
family referrals made to community resources, and how the services reduced the risk of
maltreatment;

(12) providing developmental assessments;

(13) providing medical assessments as determined by using a risk screening tool;

(14) providing parent education classes or programs that include parent-child
interaction either on site or in collaboration with other community agencies; and

(15) having a multidisciplinary advisory board which may include one or more
parents who have used the crisis nursery services.

(b) The crisis nurseries are encouraged to provide opportunities for parents to
volunteer, if appropriate.

(c) Parents shall retain custody of their children during placement in a crisis facility.

Subd. 2.

Fund distribution.

In distributing funds, the commissioner shall give
priority consideration to agencies and organizations with experience in working with
abused or neglected children and their families, and with children at high risk of abuse and
neglect and their families, and serve communities which demonstrate the greatest need
for these services. Funds shall be distributed to crisis nurseries according to a formula
developed by the commissioner in consultation with the Minnesota Crisis Nursery
Association. The formula shall include funding for all existing crisis nursery programs
that have been previously funded through the Department of Human Services and that
meet program requirements as specified in subdivision 1, paragraph (a), and consideration
of factors reflecting the need for services in each service area, including but not limited to
the number of children 18 years of age and under living in the service area, the percent
of children 18 years of age and under living in poverty in the service area, and factors
reflecting the cost of providing services, including but not limited to the number of hours
of service provided in the previous year.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.

$1,100,000 in fiscal year 2010 and $1,100,000 in fiscal year 2011 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for the grant program
described in section 1. Of this amount, $100,000 each year is to be made available for
capacity development and technical support for crisis nurseries.