1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to employment; requiring the creation of a plan to address barriers to 
1.3 	employment faced by people with mental illnesses; appropriating money for 
1.4 	employment support services and training programs for people with mental 
1.5 	illnesses.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. PLAN TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.
 1.8 	The commissioner of employment and economic development must consult with the 
1.9 	commissioners of health and human services and stakeholders in order to identify the barriers 
1.10 	that people with mental illnesses face in obtaining employment and all current programs 
1.11 	that could assist people with mental illnesses in obtaining employment. Stakeholders shall 
1.12 	include people with mental illnesses and their families, mental health advocates, mental 
1.13 	health providers, and employers. The commissioner of employment and economic 
1.14 	development shall submit a detailed plan to the legislature before February 1, 2018, 
1.15 	identifying the barriers to employment and making recommendations on how best to improve 
1.16 	the employment rate among people with mental illnesses.

1.17 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
 1.18 	(a) $....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the 
1.19 	general fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for grants to 
1.20 	programs that provide employment support services to people with mental illnesses under 
1.21 	Minnesota Statutes, sections 268A.13 and 268A.14. Of the money appropriated, $1,500,000 
1.22 	each year shall be used first to expand programs to areas of the state without an existing 
1.23 	employment support program, and secondly to expand existing programs.
2.1 	(b) $400,000 in fiscal year 2018 is appropriated from the workforce development fund 
2.2 	to the commissioner of employment and economic development for a work training program 
2.3 	for people with mental illnesses to assist in securing employment. The training program 
2.4 	must support people with mental illnesses in acquiring job skills necessary to obtain 
2.5 	employment of their choice, which pays a wage equal to or higher than the federal minimum 
2.6 	wage. During the training period, which shall last for a minimum of six months and no more 
2.7 	than 12 months, the training program must pay participants a wage equal to or higher than 
2.8 	the federal minimum wage, and a mental health professional must be available for 
2.9 	consultation by the trainees. This is a onetime appropriation and funds are available until 
2.10 	June 30, 2019.