SF 4584

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 05/08/2020 07:49am

A bill for an act
relating to child protection; requiring training for child welfare workers and state
agency staff to serve American Indian children and families; appropriating money
for a tribal child welfare partnership; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section
626.559, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 626.559, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 3a. new text end

new text begin Indian child welfare worker training. new text end

new text begin (a) Within the first 12 months of
employment, and prior to serving as primary case manager or child welfare worker for a
case involving an American Indian child or family, county child welfare workers, supervisors,
and Department of Human Services child safety and permanency division staff must complete
a competency certificate to ensure standards of performance for serving American Indian
children, families, and tribes. Competency training domains must include but are not limited
to:
new text end

new text begin (1) the Indian Child Welfare Act, United States Code, title 25, sections 1901 to 1963;
new text end

new text begin (2) the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, sections 260.751 to 260.835;
new text end

new text begin (3) tribal sovereignty and self-determination;
new text end

new text begin (4) historical trauma;
new text end

new text begin (5) improving cultural competency skills with American Indian families;
new text end

new text begin (6) the importance of American Indian cultural ceremonies and traditional healing; and
new text end

new text begin (7) the 11 federally recognized tribes of Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin (b) The training curriculum must be developed and presented by American Indian experts
with knowledge in the competency domains in paragraph (a), using innovative evidence-based
teaching and learning methods incorporating the Minnesota Child Welfare Practice
Framework. Training must also include simulation-based practice opportunities to
demonstrate knowledge and skills in the required competency domains.
new text end

new text begin (c) Training under this subdivision must foster cross-cultural engagement by introducing
interactive approaches to tribal worldview and tribal family dynamics to improve
understanding and collaboration between county and state child welfare staff, tribal
governments, and tribal agencies.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner, in collaboration with the American Indian Child Welfare Advisory
Council, shall develop ongoing training requirements, a method for recording and tracking
competency certifications, and a system for follow-up contact with child welfare workers
six months after competency certification.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; TRIBAL CHILD WELFARE PARTNERSHIP.
new text end

new text begin $1,030,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the development of the Tribal Child Welfare Partnership, in
collaboration with the University of Minnesota, Duluth Center for Regional and Tribal Child
Welfare Studies. The Tribal Child Welfare Partnership shall develop and deliver Indian
child welfare worker training required under Minnesota Statutes, section 626.559, subdivision
3a, and training for initiative tribes that are delivering child welfare services to American
Indian children and their parents and custodians living on the reservation under Minnesota
Statutes, section 256.01, subdivision 14b. The Tribal Child Welfare Partnership shall be
located at and administered by the University of Minnesota, Duluth. This appropriation is
added to the base.
new text end