1998 Minnesota Statutes

     254A.17 Prevention and treatment initiatives. 

    Subdivision 1.    Maternal and child service programs.  
 (a) The commissioner shall fund maternal and child health and 
 social service programs designed to improve the health and 
 functioning of children born to mothers using alcohol and 
 controlled substances.  Comprehensive programs shall include 
 immediate and ongoing intervention, treatment, and coordination 
 of medical, educational, and social services through a child's 
 preschool years.  Programs shall also include research and 
 evaluation to identify methods most effective in improving 
 outcomes among this high-risk population.  The commissioner 
 shall ensure that the programs are available on a statewide 
 basis to the extent possible with available funds.  

    (b) The commissioner of human services shall develop models 
 for the treatment of children ages 6 to 12 who are in need of 
 chemical dependency treatment.  The commissioner shall fund at 
 least two pilot projects with qualified providers to provide 
 nonresidential treatment for children in this age group.  Model 
 programs must include a component to monitor and evaluate 
 treatment outcomes. 

    Subd. 1a.    Programs for pregnant women and women with 
 children.  Within the limits of funds available, the 
 commissioner of human services shall fund programs providing 
 specialized chemical dependency treatment for pregnant women and 
 women with children.  The programs shall provide prenatal care, 
 child care, housing assistance, and other services needed to 
 ensure successful treatment. 

    Subd. 1b.    Intervention, education, and advocacy 
 program.  Within the limits of money available, the 
 commissioner of human services shall fund voluntary 
 hospital-based outreach programs targeted at women who deliver 
 children affected by prenatal alcohol or drug use.  The program 
 shall help women obtain treatment, stay in recovery, and plan 
 any future pregnancies.  An advocate shall be assigned to each 
 woman in the program to provide education, guidance, and advice 
 with respect to treatment programs, child safety and parenting, 
 housing, family planning, and any other personal issues that are 
 barriers to remaining free of chemical dependence.  The 
 commissioner shall develop an evaluation component and provide 
 centralized coordination of the evaluation process. 

    Subd. 2.    Child protection programs.  The commissioner 
 shall fund innovative child protection programs for children and 
 families at risk due to substance abuse.  Funding of a program 
 under this subdivision must result in (1) earlier intervention; 
 (2) the provision of in-home supervision; and (3) case 
 management of all services required.  Programs must also include 
 research and evaluation to identify methods most effective in 
 child protection services for this high-risk population.  

    Subd. 3.    Statewide detoxification transportation 
 program.  The commissioner shall provide grants to counties, 
 Indian reservations, other nonprofit agencies, or local 
 detoxification programs for provision of transportation of 
 intoxicated individuals to detoxification programs, open 
 shelters, secure shelters as defined in section 254A.085, 
 shelters serving intoxicated persons, including long-term 
 supportive housing facilities for chronic inebriates, and 
 hospital emergency rooms.  Unless a county has approved a grant 
 of funds under this section, the commissioner shall make 
 payments of detoxification funds to a county only after 
 receiving an invoice describing the number of persons 
 transported and the cost of transportation services.  The 
 commissioner shall make an annual payment to counties for 
 provision of transportation under this section.  If 
 appropriations are not sufficient to pay the allowed maximum per 
 trip, the commissioner shall reduce the maximum payment per trip 
 until payments do not exceed the appropriation.  A county must 
 make a good faith effort to provide the transportation service 
 through the most cost-effective community-based agencies or 
 organizations eligible to provide the service.  The program 
 administrator and all staff of the program must report to the 
 office of the ombudsman for mental health and mental retardation 
 within 24 hours of its occurrence, any serious injury, as 
 defined in section 245.91, subdivision 6, or the death of a 
 person admitted to the shelter.  The ombudsman shall acknowledge 
 in writing the receipt of all reports made to the ombudsman's 
 office under this section.  Acknowledgment must be mailed to the 
 facility and to the county social service agency within five 
 working days of the day the report was made.  In addition, the 
 program administrator and staff of the program must comply with 
 all of the requirements of section 626.557, the Vulnerable 
 Adults Act. 

    HIST: 1990 c 568 art 2 s 57; 1991 c 292 art 8 s 7; 1992 c 571 
 art 10 s 14,15; 1Sp1993 c 1 art 3 s 20; 1995 c 207 art 3 s 12; 
 1997 c 203 art 4 s 4; 1998 c 398 art 9 s 3,4; 1998 c 407 art 2 s 
 95,96