SF 642

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to child advocacy centers; establishing 
  1.3             grants for child advocacy centers that provide certain 
  1.4             core functions; appropriating money.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER GRANTS; PURPOSE; 
  1.7   CRITERIA.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The purpose of the grant program 
  1.9   created in this section is to stabilize funding and ensure the 
  1.10  continued viability of core functions relating to child 
  1.11  maltreatment investigations, interviews, treatment, and related 
  1.12  training.  Grants awarded under this section will ensure that 
  1.13  child victims of abuse will have access to safe, secure 
  1.14  facilities and that law enforcement agencies will have access to 
  1.15  the tools necessary for the successful apprehension and 
  1.16  conviction of child predators.  The grants will ensure that 
  1.17  important government duties relating to the protection of 
  1.18  children are not ignored and subjected to unstable, irregular 
  1.19  funding sources.  Finally, the grants will provide funding for 
  1.20  state mandates relating to child maltreatment reporting and 
  1.21  assessment.  
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [CRITERIA.] (a) The commissioner of public safety 
  1.23  shall award grants to child advocacy centers that are 
  1.24  full-member organizations in good standing with the National 
  1.25  Children's Alliance for the purposes described in paragraph 
  2.1   (b).  To receive a grant, a child advocacy center must 
  2.2   facilitate the provision of the following core services: 
  2.3      (1) support and services for alleged child abuse victims 
  2.4   and their families; 
  2.5      (2) coordination of investigations of child abuse by 
  2.6   providing a location for forensic interviews; 
  2.7      (3) promoting the coordination of services for children 
  2.8   alleged to have been abused; 
  2.9      (4) forensic medical examinations; 
  2.10     (5) mental health and related support services; 
  2.11     (6) court advocacy; and 
  2.12     (7) consultation and training of multidisciplinary child 
  2.13  protection teams.  
  2.14     (b) Grant recipients may use money granted under this 
  2.15  section for: 
  2.16     (1) child interview or investigation programs and 
  2.17  facilities; 
  2.18     (2) coordination of or referral for support services; or 
  2.19     (3) related statewide training programs.  
  2.20     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION; GRANTS FOR CHILD ADVOCACY 
  2.21  CENTERS.] 
  2.22     $1,125,000 is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 
  2.23  30, 2004, from the general fund to the commissioner of public 
  2.24  safety for grants to child advocacy centers under section 1.  
  2.25  This appropriation is available until June 30, 2006.