HF 1542

1st Engrossment - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/18/2019 10:17pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the shelter-linked youth mental health
grant program; requiring reports; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2018, section 256K.45, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256K.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 256K.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Homeless youth report.

The commissioner shall prepare a biennial report,
beginning in February 2015, which provides meaningful information to the legislative
committees having jurisdiction over the issue of homeless youth, that includes, but is not
limited to: (1) a list of the areas of the state with the greatest need for services and housing
for homeless youth, and the level and nature of the needs identified; (2) details about grants
made new text begin , including shelter-linked youth mental health grants under section 256K.46 new text end ; (3) the
distribution of funds throughout the state based on population need; (4) follow-up
information, if available, on the status of homeless youth and whether they have stable
housing two years after services are provided; and (5) any other outcomes for populations
served to determine the effectiveness of the programs and use of funding.

Sec. 2.

new text begin [256K.46] SHELTER-LINKED YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH GRANT
PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment and authority. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services
shall make grants to provide mental health services to homeless or sexually exploited youth.
To be eligible, housing providers must partner with community-based mental health
practitioners to provide a continuum of mental health services, including short-term crisis
response, support for youth in longer-term housing settings, and ongoing relationships to
support youth in other housing arrangements in the community for homeless or sexually
exploited youth.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall consult with the commissioner of management and budget
to identify evidence-based mental health services for youth and give priority in awarding
grants to proposals that include evidence-based mental health services for youth.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner may make two-year grants under this section.
new text end

new text begin (d) Money appropriated for this section must be expended on activities described under
subdivision 4, technical assistance, and capacity building to meet the greatest need on a
statewide basis. The commissioner shall provide outreach, technical assistance, and program
development support to increase capacity of new and existing service providers to better
meet needs statewide, particularly in areas where shelter-linked youth mental health services
have not been established, especially in greater Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services, unless otherwise
indicated.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Housing provider" means a shelter, housing program, or other entity providing
services under the Homeless Youth Act in section 256K.45 and the Safe Harbor for Sexually
Exploited Youth Act in section 145.4716.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Mental health practitioner" has the meaning given in section 245.462, subdivision
17.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Youth" has the meanings given for "homeless youth," "youth at risk for
homelessness," and "runaway" in section 256K.45, subdivision 1a, "sexually exploited
youth" in section 260C.007, subdivision 31, and "youth eligible for services" in section
145.4716, subdivision 3.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin An eligible applicant for shelter-linked youth mental health grants
under subdivision 1 is a housing provider that:
new text end

new text begin (1) demonstrates that the provider received targeted trauma training focused on sexual
exploitation and adolescent experiences of homelessness; and
new text end

new text begin (2) partners with a community-based mental health practitioner who has demonstrated
experience or access to training regarding adolescent development and trauma-informed
responses.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Allowable grant activities. new text end

new text begin (a) Grant recipients may conduct the following
activities with community-based mental health practitioners:
new text end

new text begin (1) develop programming to prepare youth to receive mental health services;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide on-site mental health services, including group skills and therapy sessions.
Grant recipients are encouraged to use evidence-based mental health services;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide mental health case management, as defined in section 256B.0625, subdivision
20; and
new text end

new text begin (4) consult, train, and educate housing provider staff regarding mental health. Grant
recipients are encouraged to provide staff with access to a mental health crisis line 24 hours
a day, seven days a week.
new text end

new text begin (b) Only after assisting participants with obtaining health insurance coverage for which
the participant is eligible, and only after mental health practitioners bill covered services to
medical assistance or health plan companies, grant recipients may use grant funds to fill
gaps in insurance coverage for mental health services.
new text end

new text begin (c) Grant funds may be used for purchasing equipment, connection charges, on-site
coordination, set-up fees, and site fees to deliver shelter-linked youth mental health services
defined in this subdivision via telemedicine consistent with section 256B.0625, subdivision
3b.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin Grant recipients shall report annually on the use of shelter-linked
youth mental health grants to the commissioner by December 31, beginning in 2020. Each
report shall include the name and location of the grant recipient, the amount of each grant,
the youth mental health services provided, and the number of youth receiving services. The
commissioner shall determine the form required for the report and may specify additional
reporting requirements. The commissioner shall include the shelter-linked youth mental
health services program in the biennial report required under section 256K.45, subdivision
2.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER; HOMELESS YOUTH ACCESS TO
BIRTH RECORDS AND MINNESOTA IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
new text end

new text begin No later than January 15, 2020, the commissioner of human services, in consultation
with the commissioners of health and public safety, shall report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over the
Homeless Youth Act with recommendations, including proposed legislation on providing
homeless youth with access to birth records and Minnesota identification cards at no cost.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Shelter-linked youth mental health grants. new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2020
and $....... in fiscal year 2021 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for shelter-linked youth mental health grants under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256K.46.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant evaluations. new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2020 and $....... in fiscal year 2021
are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of management and budget to
evaluate grant recipients' use of evidence-based mental health services for youth. This is a
onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 256K.46, subdivision 1, paragraph (b),
in fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021 only, the commissioner of human services may
award grants to applicants proposing services that are theory-based or promising practices.
In fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021, the commissioner of management and budget, in
consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall conduct program evaluations
using experimental or quasi-experimental designs for projects under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256K.46, that use theory-based or promising practices. Grant recipients must consult
with the commissioner of management and budget and implement the projects to facilitate
the program evaluation and collect and report the information needed to complete the
program evaluation. The commissioner of management and budget, under Minnesota
Statutes, section 15.08, may obtain additional relevant data to support the experimental or
quasi-experimental program evaluation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Homeless Youth Act. new text end

new text begin $5,619,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $5,619,000 in fiscal
year 2021 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of human services
for purposes of the Homeless Youth Act under Minnesota Statutes, section 256K.45. This
appropriation must be used to fund the full continuum of services under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256K.45, however, priority must be given to fund activities related to providing
mobile case management and housing for young families. This appropriation is added to
the base.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end