Programs and services

Current and former foster youth can get up to $5,000 per school year. Minnesota Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program provides the funds for eligible students. Funding for post-secondary education at a college, university, vocational, technical or trade school. You do not have to pay these funds back.

Youth who are in foster care Immediately prior to their 18th birthday may qualify for extended foster care services and payments. This may mean they can stay in their foster care setting longer, live on their own with additional support or request to return to foster care until they are 21.

The STAY program through county and tribal agencies provides independent living skills for current or former foster youth from age 14 up to 23 who are working with a county or tribal worker. These services help youth prepare for a successful transition to adulthood.

The STAY in the Community through community agencies complements the STAY program. It provides individual independent living skills for former foster youth from age 18 up to 23 who are no longer working with a county or tribal worker. These services help youth prepare for a successful transition to adulthood. It also provides group independent living skills classes.

Current and former foster care youth can learn leadership skills and make a difference in the foster care system by participating in Youth Leadership Councils.

Youth who were in foster care on or after their 18th birthday and were enrolled in Medical Assistance are eligible to continue receiving MA until age 26. This includes youth who aged out in another state, and moved to Minnesota.

If you’re a caseworker, review Bulletin 23-21-24 for more information. Minnesota County and Tribal agencies should submit policy, eligibility, and access questions via HealthQuest. Caseworkers from other states can contact the Adolescent Services Unit at dhs_csp_adolescents@state.mn.us. 

If you’re a former foster youth with questions about:

• Your eligibility: Contact your county or Tribal agency
• How to apply: Contact your county or Tribal agency if you were in foster care in Minnesota, or a MNSure Navigator if you were in foster care in another state
• How the health care system works in MN: Check out the Office of Attorney General’s consumer health information
• What to do if your application was denied: You can learn about the appeal process on the DHS website or the MNsure website
• Anything else: You can contact the Adolescent Services Unit at dhs_csp_adolescents@state.mn.us

Hospitals are expected to:

• Report every birth to a minor (under 18 years old) to the county in which the minor parent resides. 
• Inform the minor mother that the report has been made, using the 72 Hour Report of Birth to Minor, DHS-2518 (PDF) form.

Social service or public health agencies are expected to: 

• Contact the minor mother if she does not have a case manager. 

• Complete an assessment using the Minor Parent Assessment and Service Plan DHS-7981 (PDF) if they do not have a case manager.
  

  The legal basis for this policy is MN Statute 257.33, subdivision 2. More information can be found in the Minor Parent Case Management bulletin (PDF).