2004 Minnesota Statutes

     256.742 Minnesota Healthy Marriage and Responsible 
  Fatherhood Initiative. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establishment.  Within the limits of 
 available appropriations, the commissioner shall develop and 
 implement a Minnesota Healthy Marriage and Responsible 
 Fatherhood Initiative, as provided for in this section.  The 
 commissioner may administer the initiative with federal grants, 
 state appropriations, and in-kind services received for this 
 purpose.  

    Subd. 2.    Purpose.  The purpose of the Healthy 
 Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Initiative is to develop a 
 community-based collaborative project that will test and 
 evaluate a comprehensive strategy for promoting marriage and 
 responsible fatherhood among unmarried urban parents who are 
 expecting or have recently had a child.  The initiative 
 objectives are to: 

    (1) encourage stable family formation among unmarried new 
 parents in urban communities; 

    (2) promote healthy marriages among unmarried new parents 
 who want to be a couple and indicate that marriage is a goal for 
 their relationship; 

    (3) increase paternity establishment and enhance related 
 child support performance indicators; 

    (4) promote responsible fathering; 

    (5) enhance the well-being of children; and 

    (6) encourage and facilitate community support for marriage 
 and family formation among unmarried parents. 

    Subd. 3.    Implementation.  The target population for 
 the initiative is unmarried new parent couples whose babies are 
 born in urban hospitals in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  The 
 initiative must not include couples with a history of domestic 
 violence.  In cases involving alcohol or substance abuse by 
 either participant, the initiative must include the provision of 
 resources and services to remedy those issues.  The initiative 
 may be implemented through the University of Minnesota and 
 community-based programs and organizations.  The commissioner 
 shall:  

    (1) enter into contracts or manage a grant process for 
 implementation of the initiative; 

    (2) provide technical assistance; and 

    (3) develop and implement an evaluation component for the 
 initiative. 

    HIST: 2004 c 273 s 1