Reporter’s Guide to DHS
Overview
The Reporter’s Guide to DHS is a list of human services programs and issues. If you have questions about these topics, please contact the media relations staff person listed. You may also contact Sarah Berg, interim communications director, 651-431-4901.
Program and issues by topic:
Adoption
DHS works with counties to find permanent families for children who are under state guardianship and provides funding to help parents adopt children with special needs.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Aging issues
DHS, counties, and Area Agencies on Aging develop resources such as adult foster care, adult protection, caregiver support and in-home services for older Minnesotans and adults with special needs. DHS also is among state agencies and others discussing how Minnesota can prepare for a growing aging population.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Budget information
For general agency-wide information on the budget, including statistics and forecasts:
Sarah Berg — 651-431-4901 or sarah.berg@state.mn.us
For budget information on a specific topic, contact the staff person designated for that topic.
Child care assistance
DHS oversees the Child Care Assistance Program and the Basic Sliding Fee program, which help low-income families pay for child care.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Child care development
DHS works with communities, other state agencies, parents and providers to develop high quality and accessible child care options and early intervention services for families, and to promote school readiness for children in child care settings.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Child protection
DHS develops policy, provides training and oversees county efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect, and to intervene when abuse or neglect occurs.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Child support
DHS works with counties to establish paternity and collect child support.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Children’s services
DHS oversees child welfare services, such as adoption, child care, foster care and child protection, as well as child support enforcement, which are primarily administered through Minnesota counties.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Civil commitment
State-operated treatment programs primarily serve individuals who are court-ordered to treatment through a civil, not criminal, court process. In Minnesota, individuals can be civilly committed as mentally ill, mentally ill and dangerous, chemically dependent or developmentally disabled. Individuals civilly committed as sexually dangerous persons or sexually psychopathic personalities are treated in DHS’ Minnesota Sex Offender Program.
Christopher Sprung — 651-431-4892 or christopher.sprung@state.mn.us
Deaf and hard of hearing services
DHS helps Minnesotans who are deaf or hard of hearing access services to live independently. Several offices statewide provide direct services, adaptive equipment demonstration labs, information, and referral and distribution of specialized telephone equipment.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Disabilities
DHS plans, develops and evaluates community-based services for people with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, physical disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Community-based services include home care, residential and work-related services.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Economic opportunity programs
Through the Office of Economic Opportunity, DHS administers a variety of federal- and state-funded programs to help low-income families and individuals develop resources to support themselves through community action agencies, food shelves and homeless shelters.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Food Support
See Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP).
Foster care
Foster care is one of several forms of substitute care, frequently called out-of-home placement, for children whose families cannot safely care for them. DHS oversees county programs, works to reduce out-of-home placement and helps children who cannot safely reunite with their families find permanent homes.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Fraud
The Office of the Inspector General oversees fraud prevention and recovery efforts for DHS programs, including health care, cash assistance, child care and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Health care
Two publicly funded health care programs — Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare — serve low-income Minnesotans.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
HIV/AIDS
DHS helps people with HIV or AIDS access health care through its insurance, drug reimbursement, dental, nutrition and case management programs.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Homeless youth
Through grants to community social service agencies, DHS provides services, including emergency and transitional housing, for homeless youth.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Income assistance
Minnesota’s income assistance programs help individuals and families with low incomes move to financial stability. These include:
- The Diversionary Work Program, a work-focused effort to help families avoid longer-term public assistance.
- General Assistance, a state-funded program that provides financial assistance to people who are undergoing temporary crises or have a disability. The program typically serves single, unemployable adults.
- Minnesota Family Investment Program, which helps families transition to economic stability. MFIP is Minnesota’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.
- Minnesota Supplemental Aid, a state supplement to the Supplemental Security Income program, which is administered by the Social Security Administration. SSI is a federal cash assistance program for people who are blind, aged and disabled.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Licensing
DHS licenses programs for children and vulnerable adults, including child care centers, family child care (via counties), foster care, adoption agencies, and services for people with developmental disabilities, chemical dependency and mental illness. DHS also investigates maltreatment allegations and conducts background studies of staff in these programs.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Medical Assistance (MA)/ Medicaid
Medical Assistance, Minnesota’s Medicaid program, pays for health care for low-income older adults, children and families, pregnant women and people with disabilities.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Mental health
DHS works with counties, mental health providers and others to provide adults and children with an array of mental health services.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
MinnesotaCare
MinnesotaCare is a publicly subsidized program that serves people who do not have access to affordable health care coverage. Enrollees pay premiums based on their income and family size.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Nursing homes
DHS provides policy development, program administration and rate setting for nursing facility services for older Minnesotans.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Personal care assistance program
The personal care assistance (PCA) program provides services to people eligible for Medical Assistance who need help with day-to-day activities in their home and community. Personal care assistants are not required to have a state license; however, some agencies that provide PCA services are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health. PCAs must pass criminal background studies performed by DHS.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Refugee resettlement services
DHS administers services that help refugees make the transition to life in the United States through job search and training, language skills development and financial assistance.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
Sex offenders
DHS operates the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, which provides treatment in a secure setting for individuals civilly committed as sexually dangerous persons or sexual psychopathic personalities.
Christopher Sprung — 651-431-4892 or christopher.sprung@state.mn.us
State-operated treatment programs
DHS’ Direct Care and Treatment programs provide direct services to people with mental illness, developmental disabilities, chemical dependency and traumatic brain injuries. Because of the complex conditions of the people we serve, facilities include several psychiatric hospitals, secure residential treatment facilities, dental clinics and group homes. Our larger and more well-known programs include the Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center in Anoka, Forensic Services (also known as the Minnesota Security Hospital) in St. Peter, and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake.
Christopher Sprung — 651-431-4892 or christopher.sprung@state.mn.us
Substance Use Disorder
DHS is designated in statute as the state authority on drug and alcohol abuse. The agency plans and evaluates programs and administers funding.
Scott Peterson — 651-431-4936 or scott.peterson@state.mn.us
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The federally funded Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) provides funds accessed through an electronic account that are redeemed for food. SNAP was formerly known as Food Support and Food Stamps.
Spenser Bickett — 651-468-6238 or spenser.bickett@state.mn.us
For accessible formats of this publication or assistance with equal access to human services, write to dhs.info@state.mn.us, call 651-431-2911 or use your preferred relay service.