Children's mental health: news, initiatives, reports, work groups

DHS will offer the following training classes for children’s mental health targeted case managers who have not had 2,000 hours of supervised experience delivering mental health services to children with a severe emotional disturbance (SED):

• December 15^th - Rule 79 Case Management – Case Management Skills
• December 17^th - Rule 79 Case Management – Characteristics and Needs with an Equity Lens

Register for trainings via the Behavioral Health Learning Center

Minnesota soon will have a third and fourth Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) for children with complex mental health conditions. North Homes Children and Family Services has signed a contract with DHS to open a 52-bed PRTF in Grand Rapids in 2022. Grafton School, Inc. plans to open a PRTF with a capacity of 30 beds in Cold Spring in 2022.

Minnesota System of Care is a new way of helping children and youth with complex mental health needs and their families by connecting and coordinating the work of many partners across the state. All focus on services that reflect these core values: culturally responsive, family driven and youth guided.

More Resilient Minnesota is an initiative seeking to improve the health and resilience of current and future generations. Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives support their communities to address ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and grow resilient families, communities, and cultures across Minnesota.

The Behavioral Health Division submits a combined mental health and substance abuse application for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grants every two years. The Fiscal Year 2018 – 2019 Combined Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan application was submitted on September 1, 2017. It describes the public mental health and substance use disorder systems in Minnesota; identifies needs, priorities, goals and indicators; and proposes uses of block grant funds.

In accordance with grant requirements, states must submit an annual report on the previous year’s utilization of the grant funds, progress toward the goal targets, and data required for the federal Universal Reporting System Basic and Developmental Tables. Public input is sought in developing and updating the application on an ongoing basis. 

For public comments on the Mental Health Block Grant, please provide input in writing via our P.O. Box or e-mail: 

• Heron Abegaze
  Behavioral Health Division
  Minnesota Department of Human Services
  P.O. Box 64981
  St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0981

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a web-based application/reporting system called the Web Block Grant Application System (WebBGAS) for this grant program. 

To view Minnesota’s Fiscal Year 2018- 2019 Combined Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan application and 2018 MHBG Behavioral Health Report, Minnesota citizens can log in at the SAMHSA Block Grants website. 

• Username: citizenmn
• Password: citizen

Note: The exact Username and Password must be used. We suggest copying and pasting from above. 

1. Click on View an Existing Application 
2. Click on the Application, Report, or Behavioral Assessment and Plan that you want to view
3. You will be able to review Minnesota’s current and past applications and reports. 

To read or print the entire application or report: 

• Click the Print button to the right of your selection. This generates a PDF printout of the entire application or report. It also can create a copy in the Print Queue.
  or
  
• Click on the link for a specific selection under Application Name and open each section separately.

• Health Care, Family, and Community Factors Associated with Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders and Poverty Among  Children Aged 2 – 8 Years – United States, 2016 (CDC) (December 2018)

For other legislative reports, check the Legislative Reference Library.

• 2018 Report to Governor and Legislature by the State Advisory Council on Mental Health and Subcommittee on Children’s Mental Health (PDF) - Minnesota Statute 245.697 and Federal Public Law 102-321 establish and require the council to report biannually to the governor and legislature.
• Children’s Mental Health Hospital Discharge/Transition to the Community Action Plan (PDF) - In 2013, the Children’s Mental Health Division sponsored a workgroup focusing on coming up with solutions to ensure successful hospital discharges for children transitioning from inpatient levels of care to community or residential treatment children’s mental health services. The Hospital Discharge/Transition to the Community Workgroup approved the final list of recommended strategies for a community action plan to enhance the transitions of children and youth to the next level of care in their communities.
• Children’s Mental Health Intensive Services Study
  This study, completed by Wilder Research, was commissioned by DHS at the request of the 2016 Minnesota State Legislature. It analyzes Minnesota’s current continuum of mental health services for children with intensive mental health needs and identifies potential service models and funding mechanisms to address gaps in the state’s continuum of care.
  Full Final Report (PDF)
• Gaps Analysis Study - This study is one of four studies that inform the biennial legislative report on the status of long-term services and supports for older adults, people with disabilities and adults and children living with mental health conditions.
• Governor’s Mental Health Task Force: Final Report (November 2016) (PDF) - The Governor’s Task Force on Mental Health delivered recommendations to Governor Dayton for creating a statewide mental health system that meets the needs of all Minnesotans. The report includes nine recommendations for transforming Minnesota’s mental health system to a comprehensive continuum of care, including health promotion and prevention, early intervention services, basic clinical services, residential and inpatient treatment, community supports and crisis response services. The task force recommended improvements to the governance of mental health services to achieve that continuum.

• 2019 Results First Children’s Mental Health Benefit-cost analysis (PDF)
• Children’s Crisis Residential Services Study (June 2017) (PDF)
• Mental Health Problems and Treatment Receipt among Youth in Minnesota: Data from 2010 Minnesota Student Survey (July 2013) (PDF)
• Minnesota Student Survey
• Reshaping Mental Health Services for American Indians in Minnesota (American Indian Mental Health Advisory Council) (January 2013) (PDF)
• Rural Health Advisory Committee’s Report on Telemental Health in Rural Minnesota (PDF)

The Minnesota Behavioral Health Planning Council (BHPC) is an integrated mental health and substance use disorder council that advises DHS regarding Minnesota’s combined Mental Health and Substance Abuse Federal Block Grant.

The Subcommittee on Children’s Mental Health makes recommendations to the State Advisory Council on Mental Health on policies, law, regulations and services relating to children's mental health.

The Governor's Task Force on Mental Health was established to provide the governor and legislature with comprehensive recommendations to improve Minnesota’s mental health system.