SF 2979

2nd Engrossment - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 04/09/2018 04:39pm

A bill for an act
relating to children; requiring commissioner of human services to modify the Child
Welfare Training System; requiring a report; authorizing rulemaking; appropriating
money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 260C.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [260C.81] CHILD WELFARE EVALUATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Child welfare workforce stability study. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of
human services shall partner with the University of Minnesota's Center for Advanced Studies
in Child Welfare to conduct a child welfare workforce stability study. The first study must
be completed by June 30, 2020, and the study must be repeated biennially thereafter. The
study must examine (1) workforce intent to remain in child welfare, (2) statewide rates of
turnover, and (3) barriers to retention.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall report the results of each child welfare workforce stability
study to the governor and to the committees in the house of representatives and senate with
jurisdiction over human services by December 1, 2020, and biennially thereafter.
new text end

new text begin (c) After each child welfare workforce stability study is complete, the commissioner
shall work with the Child Welfare Training Academy, counties, tribes, and other stakeholders
to develop strategies to stabilize the workforce as appropriate.
new text end

new text begin (d) Appropriations for this subdivision are available in either year of the biennium.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Minn-LInK study. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall partner with
the University of Minnesota's Minn-LInK statewide integrated administrative data project
to conduct an annual study to understand characteristics, experiences, and outcomes of
children and families served by the child welfare system. Minn-LInK researchers shall
annually conduct research and provide research briefs, reports, and consultation to the Child
Welfare Training Academy to inform the development and revision of training curriculum.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall report a summary of the research results to the governor and
to the committees in the house of representatives and senate with jurisdiction over human
services annually by December 15.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin CHILD WELFARE TRAINING SYSTEM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Modifications. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall modify
the Child Welfare Training System developed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section
626.5591, subdivision 2, as provided in this section. The new training framework shall be
known as the Child Welfare Training Academy.
new text end

new text begin (b) The Child Welfare Training Academy shall be administered through five regional
hubs in northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, and central Minnesota. Each hub shall
deliver training targeted to the needs of its particular region, taking into account varying
demographics, resources, and practice outcomes.
new text end

new text begin (c) The Child Welfare Training Academy shall use training methods best suited to the
training content. National best practices in adult learning must be used to the greatest extent
possible, including online learning methodologies, coaching, mentoring, and simulated skill
application.
new text end

new text begin (d) Each child welfare worker and supervisor shall be required to complete a certification,
including a competency-based knowledge test and a skills demonstration, at the completion
of the worker's initial training and biennially thereafter. The commissioner shall develop
ongoing training requirements and a method for tracking certifications.
new text end

new text begin (e) Each regional hub shall have a regional organizational effectiveness specialist trained
in continuous quality improvement strategies. The specialist shall provide organizational
change assistance to counties and tribes, with priority given to efforts intended to impact
child safety.
new text end

new text begin (f) The Child Welfare Training Academy shall include training and resources that address
worker well-being and secondary traumatic stress.
new text end

new text begin (g) The Child Welfare Training Academy shall serve the primary training audiences of
(1) county and tribal child welfare workers, (2) county and tribal child welfare supervisors,
and (3) staff at private agencies providing out-of-home placement services for children
involved in Minnesota's county and tribal child welfare system.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Partners. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall enter into a partnership
with the University of Minnesota to collaborate in the administration of workforce training.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of human services shall enter into a partnership with one or more
agencies to provide consultation, subject matter expertise, and capacity building in
organizational resilience and child welfare workforce well-being.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin CHILD WELFARE CASELOAD STUDY.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall conduct a child welfare caseload study
to collect data on (1) the number of child welfare workers in Minnesota, and (2) the amount
of time that child welfare workers spend on different components of child welfare work.
The study must be completed by July 1, 2019.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall report the results of the child welfare caseload study to the
governor and to the committees in the house of representatives and senate with jurisdiction
over human services by December 1, 2019.
new text end

new text begin (c) After the child welfare caseload study is complete, the commissioner shall work with
counties and other stakeholders to develop a process for ongoing monitoring of child welfare
workers' caseloads.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin RULEMAKING.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services may adopt rules by December 31, 2020, as
necessary to establish the Child Welfare Training Academy. If the commissioner of human
services does not adopt rules by December 31, 2020, rulemaking authority under this section
is repealed. Rulemaking authority under this section is not continuing authority to amend
or repeal rules. Any additional action on rules after adoption must be under specific statutory
authority to take the additional action.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin BASE PLANNING ESTIMATES.
new text end

new text begin The base for children's services grants is increased by $37,000 in fiscal year 2020 and
$38,000 in fiscal year 2021 for the child welfare workforce stability study under Minnesota
Statutes, section 260C.81.
new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the child welfare training system in section 2. The base for this
appropriation is $....... in fiscal year 2020 and $....... in fiscal year 2021.
new text end

new text begin (b) $400,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for a child welfare caseload study in section 3.
new text end

new text begin (c) $150,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2019 from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the Minn-LInK study under Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.81,
subdivision 2.
new text end