SF 870

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

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

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

Section 1.

new text begin [256F.15] GRANT PROGRAM FOR CRISIS NURSERIES.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Crisis nurseries. new text end

new text begin 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.
new text end

new text begin (a) The crisis nurseries must:
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new text begin (1) be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
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new text begin (2) provide services for children up to 72 hours at any one
time;
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new text begin (3) provide short-term case management to bridge the gap
between crisis and successful living;
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new text begin (4) make referrals for parents to counseling services and
other community resources to help alleviate the underlying cause
of the precipitating stress or crisis;
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new text begin (5) provide services without a fee for a maximum of 30 days
in any year;
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new text begin (6) provide services to families with children from birth
through 12 years of age;
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new text begin (7) provide an immediate response to family needs and
strengths with an initial assessment and intake interview, make
referrals to appropriate agencies or programs, and provide
temporary care of children, as needed;
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new text begin (8) maintain the clients' confidentiality to the extent
required by law, and also comply with statutory reporting
requirements which may mandate a report to child protective
services;
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new text begin (9) contain a volunteer component and support for
volunteers;
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new text begin (10) provide preservice training and ongoing training to
providers and volunteers;
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new text begin (11) evaluate 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;
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new text begin (12) provide developmental assessments;
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new text begin (13) provide medical assessments as determined by using a
risk screening tool;
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new text begin (14) provide parent education classes or programs that
include parent-child interaction either on site or in
collaboration with other community agencies; and
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new text begin (15) have a multidisciplinary advisory board which may
include one or more parents who have used the crisis nursery
services.
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new text begin (b) The crisis nurseries are encouraged to provide
opportunities for parents to volunteer, if appropriate.
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new text begin (c) Parents shall retain custody of their children during
placement in a crisis facility.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Fund distribution. new text end

new text begin 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.
new text end