To help protect the health, safety and well-being of vulnerable adults and children, the Department of Human Services (DHS) licensing division receives and investigates allegations of maltreatment occurring with vulnerable adults and children who receive DHS licensed services. In addition, DHS conducts maltreatment investigations for individuals in juvenile correctional facilities licensed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Local county agencies conduct maltreatment investigations for licensed family child care and licensed child foster care.
View the maltreatment report and investigation dashboard for a detailed overview of key data points regarding maltreatment investigations. An accessible version of the data from the dashboard can be found here.
Find additional details regarding the types of programs and services the department licenses.
People who work in programs licensed by the department are legally required (mandated), to report suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults and children, but anyone can voluntarily report. Find additional resources and information on mandated reporting.
Every report received by DHS is thoroughly reviewed and additional information is often gathered to assess for jurisdiction and determine if any additional investigation is warranted. Find details about the department's processes for assessing and investigating reports of maltreatment in DHS-licensed programs
The department periodically alerts license holders and provides guidance about ways to reduce maltreatment incidents in licensed programs.
