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Four hundred
ninety-nine children are waiting in Minnesota’s foster care system for someone
to adopt them into safe, loving, permanent families. To highlight the need for
families, provide information to those interested in adoption and celebrate the
adoption of 686 children who were adopted last year, the Minnesota Department
of Human Services, MN ADOPT, and county, private and nonprofit adoption agency
partners are hosting Celebrate Adoption: Circus of the Heart, Sunday, Nov. 1,
at the Prom Center Event Facility, 484 Inwood Ave, Oakdale, from 1 to 4 p.m. More
information is in a news release
about the adoption event.
Services that help
older adults in Minnesota stay in their homes as they age are receiving more
than $7 million in funds appropriated by the Minnesota Legislature and Gov.
Mark Dayton, and awarded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The 62
projects being funded through the department’s Live Well at Home grants, previously
known as Community Service/Community Services Development grants, provide a
variety of services and supports that allow older Minnesotans to remain in
their homes rather than move to nursing homes or other more expensive settings.
More information is in a news release
about the projects.
Minnesota’s
Olmstead Plan, which is designed to ensure that people with disabilities are
able to live, learn, work, and enjoy life in the most integrated setting of
their choosing, was approved Sept. 29 by U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank. The
plan charts a course that will change the way state government provides
services and supports for Minnesotans with disabilities. More information is in
a news
story about the Olmstead Plan.
A new Crisis Link
has been launched as part of MinnesotaHelp.info,
the state’s comprehensive website for services, resources and information. Crisis
Link connects people with resources for dealing with a variety of intense
situations, including mental health and/or substance abuse problems for both
children and adults, need for emergency housing or longer term housing, fear of
being harmed, or need for health care, food, a job or transportation. More
information is in a news release
about Crisis Link.
Minnesota has
received a nearly $1 million planning grant from the federal government to help
strengthen community-based treatment for mental and substance use disorders. The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in conjunction with
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Assistant Secretary of
Planning and Evaluation, awarded a total of $22.9 million to 24 states to
certify community behavioral health clinics in an effort to help individuals
with mental and substance use disorders obtain the health care they need. More
information is in a news story
about the grant.
Half of recently
surveyed hospitals, clinics, and physicians in Minnesota are part of an
Accountable Care Organization (ACO), according to a first of its kind analysis
of Minnesota’s health care market. ACOs are broad, provider-based organizations
that accept responsibility for the cost and quality of care for a defined
population. They are a key part of Minnesota’s current efforts to improve
health care, since ACOs aim to improve quality and patient satisfaction while
reducing costs. More information is in a news story
about ACOs.
The Minnesota
Health Care Financing Task Force recently held a meeting at the Heintz Center
in Rochester. The Oct. 23 meeting focused on the different ways states pay for
health care as well as to discuss preliminary recommendations regarding
financial barriers to care. More information about future meetings is on the task force website.
Minnesota
Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson and mental health
advocates, health care providers and community partners joined Gov. Mark Dayton
Sept. 29 for a ceremonial bill signing celebrating the state’s largest increase
in mental health funding to date. The governor and Legislature invested a
historic $46 million in the 2015 session to strengthen Minnesota’s mental
health system. The funding covers a comprehensive range of mental health care
across the state, from prevention and early intervention, to long-term supports
for recovery. More information is in a news story
about the bill signing.
The Minnesota Department
of Human Services recently launched an effort to promote community engagement
and equity for the next two years. The event, held Sept. 30 at Neighborhood
House’s Wellstone Center on St. Paul’s West Side, hosted more than 150 people,
including community leaders, members of the Cultural and Ethnic Communities
Leadership Council and DHS staff, who gathered to learn more about the
department’s plan to use a Community Innovation Grant from the Bush Foundation
to build an infrastructure for ongoing community engagement. More information
is in a news
release about the event.
The annual Minnesota
County Human Service Cost Report for Calendar Year 2014 (PDF) is available
on DHS’ public website. The report, compiled by DHS’ Financial Operations
Division, contains statewide and county-specific costs and revenue shares for
economic support, health and social service programs.
Fact sheets about DHS programs were updated during October:
Questions and comments about navigation and technical issues should be emailed to the DHS webmaster. Send news story ideas for the public website to DHS Communications.
This information is available in accessible formats for individuals with disabilities by calling 651-431-2911 or by using your preferred relay service. For other information on disability rights and protections, contact the agency's ADA coordinator.
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