SF 5249

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 04/03/2024 11:24am

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing an engagement services pilot project in
Otter Tail county; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin ENGAGEMENT SERVICES PILOT PROJECT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Creation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services shall provide a grant to
Otter Tail county to conduct a pilot project involving the provision of engagement services
under Minnesota Statutes, section 253B.041.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Allowable grant activities. new text end

new text begin (a) The grantee must use grant funding to:
new text end

new text begin (1) develop a system to respond to requests for engagement services;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide the following engagement services, taking into account an individual's
preferences for treatment services and supports:
new text end

new text begin (i) assertive attempts to engage an individual in voluntary treatment for mental illness
for at least 90 days;
new text end

new text begin (ii) efforts to engage an individual's existing support systems and interested persons,
including but not limited to providing education on restricting means of harm and suicide
prevention, when the provider determines that such engagement would be helpful; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) collaboration with the individual to meet the individual's immediate needs, including
but not limited to housing access, food and income assistance, disability verification,
medication management, and medical treatment;
new text end

new text begin (3) conduct outreach to families and providers; and
new text end

new text begin (4) evaluate the impact of engagement services on decreasing civil commitments,
increasing engagement in treatment, decreasing police involvement with individuals
exhibiting symptoms of serious mental illness, and other measures.
new text end

new text begin (b) Engagement services staff must have completed training on person-centered care.
Staff may include but are not limited to mobile crisis providers under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256B.0624, certified peer specialists under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0615,
community-based treatment programs staff, and homeless outreach workers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Outcome evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of management and budget must
formally evaluate outcomes of the grant awarded under this section, using an experimental
or quasi-experimental design. The commissioner of human services shall consult with the
commissioner of management and budget to ensure that the grant is administered to facilitate
this evaluation. The grantee must collect and provide the information needed to the
commissioner of human services to complete the evaluation. The commissioner of human
services must provide the information collected to the commissioner of management and
budget to conduct the evaluation. The commissioner of management and budget may obtain
additional relevant data to support the evaluation study pursuant to Minnesota Statutes,
section 15.08.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ENGAGEMENT SERVICES PILOT PROJECT.
new text end

new text begin $250,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the engagement services pilot project. Up to $....... is for a transfer
to the commissioner of management and budget to conduct the required evaluation of the
pilot project. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2027.
new text end