Behavioral Health Planning Council

Launched in 2017, the Minnesota Behavioral Health Planning Council (BHPC) is an integrated mental health and substance use disorder council that advises the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division regarding Minnesota’s combined Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant. Minnesota’s Behavioral Health Planning Council is required through the Federal Public Health and Welfare Act, Chapter 6A.

Applications for open positions on the Behavioral Health Planning Council are now being accepted.

Responsibilities of the Behavioral Health Planning Council
- Review plans provided to the council by the state (pursuant to 42 U.S.C., Chapter 6A, Part B, Subpart I, §300x–4.(a) Review of State Plan by Mental Health Planning Council) and submit to the State any recommendations of the council for modifications to the plans.
- Serve as an advocate for adults with serious mental illness, children with severe emotional disturbance, other individuals with mental illnesses, and people experiencing or at risk of experiencing substance use disorder.
- Monitor, review and evaluate not less than once each year, the allocation and adequacy of mental health and substance use disorder programs and services within the state.
- Establish council bylaws, including group norms/values, leadership and decision-making structures.
- Represent council activities under the direction of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division, as needed.
In addition, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division looks to the Behavioral Health Planning Council to:
- Inform DHS about issues at the local level.
- Point out structural gaps in the system and identify barriers in the delivery of services to communities.
- Consult on policy development: DHS will share what they are planning and ask for the council’s feedback.
- Offer insights for consideration on effective measures and themes/issues DHS should consider in its work.
Membership in the Behavioral Health Planning Council

The Behavioral Health Planning Council is composed of residents of the State of Minnesota, including representatives of the principle State agencies with respect to: mental health, education, vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, housing, and social services. Minnesota seeks balanced representation for mental health and substance use/misuse experiences for each federally required seat in the council. A minimum of 50 percent of council members are people who are not State employees or providers of mental health services. Bylaws of the council (PDF).

Current BHPC Members
Meeting Information
The Minnesota Behavioral Health Planning Council meetings are the first Monday, every other month, from 1 to 3 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and guests are encouraged to attend.

2025 Meeting Dates
- February 3, 2025
- April 7, 2025
- June 2, 2025
- August 4, 2025
- October 6, 2025
- December 1, 2025
Location Information:

In-Person: Minnesota Department of Human Services, Elmer L. Andersen Building, 540 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101

There is also a new link for the meetings:

Microsoft Teams meeting

In-Person: Elmer L. Andersen Building, 540 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101 Room C2222

MS Team: Join the meeting now

Audio Only: +1 651-395-7448, Phone Conference ID:210176354561
Vision and Values
Vision

All Minnesotans, wherever they live, experience optimal health and well-being because of a fully integrated health care system that promotes:
- Full acceptance of what health and wellness mean to each resident, including physical condition, housing, food, security, social connections, community belonging, etc.;
- Full access in all locations, communities, tribal reservations, cultures, and languages;
- Full focus on prevention and continuum of care availability at the local level and inclusive of all generations;
- Full and informed choice for each person—i.e., the person chooses based on complete information about the range and implications of choices, not a social worker or case manager making choices for the person;
- Full collaboration of providers, programs, and organizations;
- Full integration into community, including community traditions and culture;
- Local staff will largely reflect the community and culture, and make use of common or traditional community resources.
Core Values

We value:
- A focus on the client and their community: We amplify client and community voices to transform mental health and substance use disorder programs, services, and processes and to create more responsive and effective care.
- Full and equitable opportunities for wellbeing: We apply an equity lens to support and maintain access, cultural relevancy, fairness, innovation, and systems accountability.
- Inquisitiveness and open-mindedness: We support each other’s curiosity, learn from and trust each other’s expertise, and are willing to be in ambiguity.
- Authentic relationships: We assume the best about each other; listen with humility and compassion; act with transparency; and recognize and build on each other’s strengths.
- Positive impacts: We are committed to ensuring positive impacts in the well-being of Minnesota residents, its communities, and the state as a whole.
Member Documents
More information on SAMHSA guidance to states
- Best Practices for State Behavioral Health Planning Councils: The Road to Planning Council Integration,” Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. for the Center for Mental Health Services (2014) (PDF)
- SAMHSA/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Center for Integrated Health Care Solutions
Council Reports
- Behavioral Health Planning Council 2019 Letter of Recommendations (PDF)
Minnesota Combined Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant
The Behavioral Health Division and Behavioral Health, Housing, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Administration is developing the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024-2025 Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRSBG) application and plan that is due to SAMHSA by September 1, 2023. The draft of the application and plan has been released for public comments. The application and plan consists of 4 sections:
- State Information section
- Planning Steps
  - Step 1 Draft: Assess the strengths and organizational capacity of the service system to address the specific populations (Step 1 Draft - PDF)
  - Step 2 Draft: Identify the unmet service needs and critical gaps within the current system (Step 2 Draft - PDF)
- Priority Areas and Performance Indicators Tables and Expenditure Planning Tables
- Environmental Factors and Plan
The full draft of FFY 2024-2025 Block Grant application is available electronically via the web-based Block Grant Application System (WebBGAS) at https://bgas.samhsa.gov.

To view Minnesota’s Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant Assessment, Plan and Annual Report use the following information
- Link to the Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grants: https://bgas.samhsa.gov/
- Username: citizenmn
- Password: citizen
To View Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant Applications, Plans and Reports
- Click on "View an Existing Application“
- Click on the “Mental Health Block Grant or Substance Use Block Grant”
- Click on the “Report,” or “Application” that you want to view
If you have questions on the Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant applications and reports, please submit to Tim Pilcher, Federal Block Grants Planner at tim.pilcher@state.mn.us.

Public Comments

States are required to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Combined Mental Health and Substance Use Block Grant plan during:
- Development of the plan
- After submission of the plan to SAMHSA
Plan must be public to facilitate comments from any person including:
- Federal
- Tribal
- Other public agencies
Contact Us