SF 4001

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/08/2024 03:22pm

A bill for an act
relating to child protection; directing a fiscal analysis of the child welfare system;
requiring a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES; CHILD
WELFARE FISCAL ANALYSIS.

Subdivision 1.

Child welfare system fiscal analysis.

(a) By August 1, 2024, the
commissioner of human services must contract with the third-party independent consultant
selected pursuant to subdivision 2 to conduct an independent fiscal analysis of the child
welfare system in Minnesota, including an analysis of available funding sources for federal,
state, county, and Tribal systems.

(b) Before the fiscal analysis is conducted, the third-party independent consultant must
sign a statement that the consultant does not receive any money from any child welfare
provider in the state, the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, any
county, or any Tribal Nation, except the consultant may receive money from any of those
sources for conducting the fiscal analysis under this section.

(c) When conducting the fiscal analysis under this section, the consultant must evaluate:

(1) statewide data-sharing in the child welfare system, including state juvenile courts;

(2) financial systems in the child welfare system and funding sources available to the
child welfare system;

(3) current staff responsible for child welfare system budgeting and reimbursement in
the state, counties, and Tribal Nations, and the staff skills and resources necessary to obtain,
manage, and distribute federal funds to counties and Tribal Nations;

(4) state access to, use of, and reimbursement of funding under Title IV-E, Title IV-B,
the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, TANF, Medicaid, the federal Social
Services Block Grant Program, and other federal funds for expenses related to child welfare,
including legal representation, training, and prevention services;

(5) relevant information needed to secure available federal funds for the child welfare
system;

(6) the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act and related claim
processes;

(7) the social service information system, including the system's ability to efficiently
integrate child welfare information and to manage, track, and share information between
the state, counties, and Tribal Nations; and

(8) Title IV-E attorney and training reimbursements in the state.

Subd. 2.

Consultant selection.

By July 1, 2024, the legislative task force on child
protection, in consultation with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, must select a
third-party independent consultant to conduct the fiscal analysis in subdivision 1. The
consultant must have national expertise in transforming child welfare systems and conducting
fiscal analyses, including experience conducting a similar fiscal analysis of another state's
claim processes under the Family First Prevention Services Act and the state's federal Title
IV-E and Title IV-B reimbursement processes.

Subd. 3.

Working group.

(a) A working group is established to support and advise the
consultant during the fiscal analysis under subdivision 1. The consultant must meet regularly
with the working group during the fiscal analysis in subdivision 1 and the writing of the
report in subdivision 4. The working group must assist the consultant in obtaining data and
information needed for the fiscal analysis, provide advice and support to the consultant
regarding the goals and timeline of the fiscal analysis, and advise the consultant as needed
for the duration of the fiscal analysis.

(b) The working group shall consist of 11 members, appointed as follows:

(1) two members who are employees of the Department of Human Services with expertise
in child welfare, appointed by the commissioner of human services;

(2) two members appointed by the Minnesota Association of County Social Service
Administrators;

(3) one member appointed by the foster youth ombudsperson;

(4) one member appointed by the Minnesota Children's Justice Initiative;

(5) one member appointed by the Children's Cabinet;

(6) two members appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council; and

(7) two members of the public who work in the children's prevention services community,
appointed by the governor.

Subd. 4.

Report.

By March 15, 2025, the consultant must submit a final report to the
commissioner of human services and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over the child welfare system. The final report must
include the findings from the fiscal analysis in subdivision 1 and must include proposed
legislation for any necessary statutory changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; CHILD WELFARE FISCAL ANALYSIS.

$250,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services to contract with a third-party independent consultant selected by the
Legislative Task Force on Child Protection and Minnesota Indian Affairs Council to conduct
a fiscal analysis of Minnesota's child welfare system. This is a onetime appropriation.