About the Department of Human Services
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Mission is driven by collaboration with community and partners – Counties, Tribes, non-profit and for-profit providers – supporting people to thrive in community and live their healthiest and fullest lives. The DHS Vision is that all people in Minnesota have what they need to thrive in community with no disparities.
While the vast majority of human services in Minnesota are provided by our partners, DHS (at the direction of the Governor and Legislature) sets policies and directs payments for many of the services delivered. As the largest state agency, DHS administers about one-third of the state budget. As a steward of a significant amount of public dollars, DHS takes very seriously our responsibility to provide Minnesotans with high value in terms of both the quality of services and accountability for taxpayer dollars.
Our largest financial responsibility is to provide health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans. We are also responsible for providing services for elders; people with disabilities and behavioral health needs; and those experiencing homelessness.
Through our licensing services, we ensure that certain minimum standards of care are met in private and public settings for all Minnesotans. DHS also provides direct service through hour regional offices for people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing; and through DHS Direct Care and Treatment, which provides direct care to people with behavioral health needs or disabilities.
Contact us
Contact DHS by phone, email, mail, and find information about counties and regional offices, directions and parking.
Outreach and engagement
DHS strives to prioritize community solutions, creating a bridge between our institutions, community-based organizations and partners, and those who participate in DHS programs.
Public participation
DHS invites client, stakeholder and citizen input on initiatives and proposed program changes through public meetings and comment periods.
Advisory councils and task forces
Advisory councils and task forces guide the department as it provides programs and services.
2023-2027 Agencywide strategic plan
The strategic plan focuses on three desired outcomes: People in Minnesota thrive; people experience high quality human services; and people at DHS thrive in an inclusive environment.
Department and state policies
Administrative policies are agencywide or statewide directives used to regulate the department's internal management and its employees' actions.
Data requests
Public data is available to any member of the public. This means individual people, the media, government agencies, government employees, vendors, unions, companies and lawyers.
Mission
In collaboration with community and partners, DHS supports people to thrive in community and live their healthiest and fullest lives.
Vision
All people in Minnesota have what they need to thrive in community with no disparities.
Employee Vision
When all employees are embraced, respected and heard, we will build a collaborative, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist culture where we all thrive.
Values
- We focus on people, not programs.
- We provide ladders up and safety nets for the people we serve.
- We work in partnership with others: we cannot do it alone.
- We are accountable for results to the people we serve and all Minnesotans.
DHS practices these shared values in an ethical environment where integrity, trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, diversity, justice, fairness and caring are of paramount importance.