Sponsor: Social Services
Title
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Funding Allocation from the Minnesota Department of Human Services for Family First Prevention Services
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Recommendation
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1. Accept the funding allocation from the Minnesota Department of Human Services for the Family First Prevention Services in the amount of $592,546.
2. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of allocation funding.
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Background and Rationale
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On January 18, 2024 the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced additional funding that would be released to counties to support families and provide prevention services The funds can support families to avoid entry into the child welfare system, prevent further involvement in the child welfare system and to support family preservation.
Ramsey County will use funds to support training for staff in preventative interventions, provider direct concrete supports to families, provide support to child welfare programs that show decreased need for out of home placements and to support families in avoiding the child welfare system all together. Traditional the Children and Family Services Division of Social Services has tried to support families by supporting informal family arrangements and supporting preventative services. An additional funding source set aside to provide this resource to families will further support this effort to help avoid out of home placements which has been shown to disproportionately affect families of color in Ramsey County.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Ramsey County continues to make efforts to decrease out of home placements. Community engagement efforts and increasing education and information about our preventative services are ways we attempt to avoid late end services such as out of home placements. Out of home placements disproportionately effect families of color. These funds will be used to prevent deep end child protective services such as out of home placements, child protection case management, and increase access preventative services.
Community Participation Level and Impact
DHS has provided each county with an allocation to provide preventative services to families within Ramsey County.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Children and Family Services Division of Social Services has submitted a plan to DHS that was approved for 2024. Eligible expenses for these funds include additional support to prevention services offered that have shown to decrease or delay the need for families to experience out of home placement, support to families who utilize informal family arrangements, support for staff to have training in motivational interviewing and other preventative and culturally specific training opportunities and supports to families to avoid any other issues that may have led to child welfare involvement. As this is a new initiative these funds were not budged in the 2024-2025 budget.
Last Previous Action
None.
Attachments
1. Family First Prevention Services Act Plan