Minnesota Session Laws - 1985, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1985 

                        CHAPTER 275-S.F.No. 1176
           An act relating to children; requiring a new job 
          classification in child protection; requiring 
          continuing education; providing for a joint training 
          program; requiring a report to the legislature; 
          appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in 
          Minnesota Statutes, chapter 626. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [626.559] [SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EDUCATION 
REQUIRED.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [JOB CLASSIFICATION; CONTINUING EDUCATION.] 
The commissioner of human services, for employees subject to the 
Minnesota merit system, and directors of county personnel 
systems, for counties not subject to the Minnesota merit system, 
shall establish a job classification consisting exclusively of 
persons with the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience 
required to satisfactorily perform child protection duties 
pursuant to section 626.556, subdivisions 10, 10a, and 10b. 
    All child protection workers or social services staff 
having responsibility for child protective duties under section 
626.556, subdivisions 10, 10a, and 10b, shall receive 15 hours 
of continuing education or in-service training each year.  The 
local social service agency shall submit an annual plan for the 
provision of these hours of education and training to the 
commissioner of human services for approval. 
    Subd. 2.  [JOINT TRAINING.] The commissioners of human 
services and public safety shall cooperate in the development of 
a joint program for training child abuse services professionals 
in the appropriate techniques for child abuse assessment and 
investigation.  The program shall include but need not be 
limited to the following areas: 
    (1) the public policy goals of the state as set forth in 
section 260.011 and the role of the assessment or investigation 
in meeting these goals;  
    (2) the special duties of child protection workers and law 
enforcement officers under section 626.556; 
    (3) the appropriate methods for directing and managing 
affiliated professionals who may be utilized in providing 
protective services and strengthening family ties; 
    (4) the appropriate methods for interviewing alleged 
victims of child abuse and other minors in the course of 
performing an assessment or an investigation; 
    (5) the dynamics of child abuse and neglect within family 
systems and the appropriate methods for interviewing parents in 
the course of the assessment or investigation; 
    (6) the legal, evidentiary considerations that may be 
relevant to the conduct of an assessment or an investigation; 
    (7) the circumstances under which it is appropriate to 
remove the alleged abuser or the alleged victim from the home; 
    (8) the protective social services that are available to 
protect alleged victims from further abuse, to prevent child 
abuse, and to preserve the family unit; and 
    (9) the methods by which child protection workers and law 
enforcement workers cooperate in conducting assessments and 
investigations in order to avoid duplication of efforts. 
    Subd. 3.  [PRIORITY TRAINING.] The commissioners of human 
services and public safety shall provide the program courses 
described in subdivision 2 at convenient times and locations in 
the state.  The commissioners shall give training priority in 
the program areas cited in subdivision 2 to persons currently 
performing assessments and investigations pursuant to section 
626.556, subdivisions 10, 10a, and 10b.  
    Subd. 4.  [REPORT.] By February 1, 1986, the commissioners 
of human services and public safety shall report to the 
legislature on the implementation of the joint training program 
established under subdivision 2.  The report may include 
legislative recommendations on the establishment of a 
multidisciplinary training program for child abuse services 
professionals.  
    Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES.] $53,400 
is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
human services for purposes of section 1 to be available for the 
fiscal year ending June 30, 1986. 
    Subd. 2.  [COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY.] $156,000 is 
appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of public 
safety for purposes of section 1, $78,000 to be available for 
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1986, and $78,000 to be 
available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1987.  
    Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Section 1 is effective July 1, 1985. 
    Approved May 31, 1985