1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to homelessness; providing for comprehensive evaluation and assistance 
1.3 	to young children in families experiencing homelessness;amending Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes 2010, sections 256K.26; 462A.204, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256K.26, is amended to read:
1.7 	256K.26 LONG-TERM HOMELESS SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment and purpose. The commissioner shall establish the 
1.9 	long-term homeless supportive services fund to provide integrated services needed to 
1.10 	stabilize individuals, families, and youth living in supportive housing developed to further 
1.11 	the goals set forth in Laws 2003, chapter 128, article 15, section 9.
1.12 		Subd. 2.Implementation; allocation of funds. (a) The commissioner, in 
1.13 	consultation with the commissioners of the Department of Corrections, Department 
1.14 	of Education, and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, counties, the Minnesota 
1.15 	Interagency Task Force on Homelessness, and providers and funders of supportive housing 
1.16 	and services, shall develop application requirements and make funds available according 
1.17 	to this section, with the goal of providing maximum flexibility in program design.
1.18 	(b) Of all appropriations made by law in a fiscal year for long-term homeless 
1.19 	supportive services under this section, the commissioner shall allocate at least ... percent 
1.20 	specifically for providing comprehensive evaluation and assistance services to young 
1.21 	children in families who are homeless as provided under subdivision 9.
1.22 		Subd. 3.Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the 
1.23 	meanings given:
2.1 	(1) "long-term homelessness" means lacking a permanent place to live continuously 
2.2 	for one year or more or at least four times in the past three years; and
2.3 	(2) "household" means an individual, family, or unaccompanied minor experiencing 
2.4 	long-term homelessness; and
2.5 	(3) "young children" means children under the age of five.
2.6 		Subd. 4.County eligibility. Counties are eligible for funding under this section. 
2.7 	Priority will be given to proposals submitted on behalf of multicounty partnerships.
2.8 		Subd. 5.Content of proposals. Proposals will be evaluated on the extent to which 
2.9 	they:
2.10 	(1) include partnerships with providers of services or other partners;
2.11 	(2) develop strategies to enhance housing stability for people experiencing long-term
2.12 	homelessness by integrating services and establishing consistent services and procedures 
2.13 	across jurisdictions as appropriate;
2.14 	(3) evidence a commitment to working with the commissioners of human services, 
2.15 	corrections, and the Housing Finance Agency to identify appropriate households to 
2.16 	be served under this section and serve households as defined in subdivision 3. The 
2.17 	commissioner may also set criteria for serving people at significant risk of experiencing 
2.18 	long-term homelessness, with a priority on serving families with minor children;
2.19 	(4) ensure that projects make maximum use of mainstream resources, including 
2.20 	employment, social, and health services, and leverage additional public and private 
2.21 	resources in order to serve the maximum number of households;
2.22 	(5) demonstrate cost-effectiveness by identifying and prioritizing those services 
2.23 	most necessary for housing stability; and
2.24 	(6) evaluate and report on outcomes of the projects according to protocols developed 
2.25 	by the commissioner of human services in cooperation with the commissioners of 
2.26 	corrections and the Housing Finance Agency. Evaluation would include methods for 
2.27 	determining the quality of the integrated service approach, improvement in outcomes, cost 
2.28 	savings, or reduction in service disparities that may result.
2.29 		Subd. 6.Outcomes. Projects will be selected to further the following outcomes:
2.30 	(1) reduce the number of Minnesota individuals and families that experience 
2.31 	long-term homelessness;
2.32 	(2) increase the number of housing opportunities with supportive services;
2.33 	(3) develop integrated, cost-effective service models that address the multiple 
2.34 	barriers to obtaining housing stability faced by people experiencing long-term
2.35 	homelessness, including abuse, neglect, chemical dependency, disability, chronic health 
3.1 	problems, or other factors including ethnicity and race that may result in poor outcomes or 
3.2 	service disparities;
3.3 	(4) encourage partnerships among counties, community agencies, schools, and 
3.4 	other providers so that the service delivery system is seamless for people experiencing 
3.5 	long-term homelessness;
3.6 	(5) increase employability, self-sufficiency, and other social outcomes for individuals 
3.7 	and families experiencing long-term homelessness; and
3.8 	(6) reduce inappropriate use of emergency health care, shelter, chemical dependency, 
3.9 	foster care, child protection, corrections, and similar services used by people experiencing 
3.10 	long-term homelessness; and
3.11 	(7) establish comprehensive evaluation and assistance services to young children 
3.12 	as provided under subdivision 9.
3.13 		Subd. 7.Eligible services. Services eligible for funding under this section are all 
3.14 	services needed to maintain households in permanent supportive housing, as determined 
3.15 	by the county or counties administering the project or projects.
3.16 		Subd. 8.Families experiencing long-term homelessness. The commissioner, in 
3.17 	consultation with the commissioners of housing finance and corrections, shall assess 
3.18 	whether the definition of long-term homelessness impacts the ability of families with 
3.19 	minor children experiencing homelessness to obtain services necessary to support housing 
3.20 	stability.
3.21 		Subd. 9.Services for families with young children. (a) The commissioner, in 
3.22 	conjunction with the commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, shall 
3.23 	develop and implement a program for comprehensive evaluation and assistance services 
3.24 	to young children as provided in this subdivision, in addition to other supportive services 
3.25 	under this section.
3.26 	(b) Eligible uses of funds for comprehensive evaluation and assistance services 
3.27 	include:
3.28 	(1) undertaking program development, including but not limited to:
3.29 	(i) developing standards, best practices, and procedures for evidence-based 
3.30 	assessment and screening of young children; and
3.31 	(ii) developing measurement tools to evaluate outcomes;
3.32 	(2) performing assessment and screening of young children to identify service 
3.33 	needs; and
3.34 	(3) implementing individualized service plans for young children based on 
3.35 	assessment and screening findings, including but not limited to mental and physical 
3.36 	health treatment, programs for behavioral and cognitive development, early childhood 
4.1 	education activities, resources for families of young children, and monitoring of services 
4.2 	and outcomes.

4.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2011.

4.4 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 462A.204, is amended by adding a 
4.5 	subdivision to read:
4.6 		Subd. 9.Services for families with young children. Of all appropriations made 
4.7 	by law in a fiscal year for the family homeless prevention and assistance program under 
4.8 	this section, the agency shall allocate at least ... percent specifically for providing 
4.9 	comprehensive evaluation and assistance services to young children in families who 
4.10 	are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, as provided under section 256K.26, 
4.11 	subdivision 9.

4.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2011.