SF 543

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 01/28/2019 03:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; changing child protection grant allocation to counties;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 256M.41, subdivision 3, by adding a
subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 256M.41, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Payments deleted text begin based on performance deleted text end .

deleted text begin (a) deleted text end The commissioner shall make payments
under this section to each county deleted text begin board on a calendar year basis in an amount determined
under paragraph (b) deleted text end new text begin on or before July 10 of each year new text end .

deleted text begin (b) Calendar year allocations under subdivision 1 shall be paid to counties in the following
manner:
deleted text end

deleted text begin (1) 80 percent of the allocation as determined in subdivision 1 must be paid to counties
on or before July 10 of each year;
deleted text end

deleted text begin (2) ten percent of the allocation shall be withheld until the commissioner determines if
the county has met the performance outcome threshold of 90 percent based on face-to-face
contact with alleged child victims. In order to receive the performance allocation, the county
child protection workers must have a timely face-to-face contact with at least 90 percent of
all alleged child victims of screened-in maltreatment reports. The standard requires that
each initial face-to-face contact occur consistent with timelines defined in section 626.556,
subdivision 10, paragraph (i). The commissioner shall make threshold determinations in
January of each year and payments to counties meeting the performance outcome threshold
shall occur in February of each year. Any withheld funds from this appropriation for counties
that do not meet this requirement shall be reallocated by the commissioner to those counties
meeting the requirement; and
deleted text end

deleted text begin (3) ten percent of the allocation shall be withheld until the commissioner determines
that the county has met the performance outcome threshold of 90 percent based on
face-to-face visits by the case manager. In order to receive the performance allocation, the
total number of visits made by caseworkers on a monthly basis to children in foster care
and children receiving child protection services while residing in their home must be at least
90 percent of the total number of such visits that would occur if every child were visited
once per month. The commissioner shall make such determinations in January of each year
and payments to counties meeting the performance outcome threshold shall occur in February
of each year. Any withheld funds from this appropriation for counties that do not meet this
requirement shall be reallocated by the commissioner to those counties meeting the
requirement. For 2015, the commissioner shall only apply the standard for monthly foster
care visits.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (c) The commissioner shall work with stakeholders and the Human Services Performance
Council under section 402A.16 to develop recommendations for specific outcome measures
that counties should meet in order to receive funds withheld under paragraph (b), and include
in those recommendations a determination as to whether the performance measures under
paragraph (b) should be modified or phased out. The commissioner shall report the
recommendations to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over child protection
issues by January 1, 2018.
deleted text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 256M.41, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin County performance on child protection measures. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall
set child protection measures and standards. The commissioner shall require an
underperforming county to demonstrate that the county designated sufficient funds and
implemented a reasonable strategy to improve child protection performance, including the
provision of a performance improvement plan and additional remedies identified by the
commissioner. The commissioner may redirect up to 20 percent of a county's funds under
this section toward the performance improvement plan. Sanctions under section 256M.20,
subdivision 3, related to noncompliance with federal performance standards also apply.
new text end