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SSIS is urgently seeking two agencies to pilot SSIS version 21.4 (v21.4).
Pilot dates are October 27 through November 29, 2021; statewide release is scheduled for November 30, 2021.
Pilot agencies receive weekly phone calls, priority response from the SSIS help desk, and provide application input during the piloting period.
V21.4 will include:
- Relative Search
- APS – agencies will no longer receive phone calls when Emergency Protective Services are requested. Instead, they will receive an automatic email notification to an address they specify.
Contact Lisa Litchfield if your agency is interested in piloting.
Below is a list of Children's Residential Facilities with programs that are approved as a FFPSA specialized setting type and approved for Title IV-E Claiming.
This list is current as of October 15, 2021 and will be updated regularly. SSIS will reflect this information as it is updated.
Questions regarding FFPSA certification can be directed to ffpsa.settingspolicy@state.mn.us. Questions regarding Title IV-E approval can be directed to Amber Buckner.
DHS Licensed Programs/Facilities
License # 1049979 - Avanti Center for Girls (QRTP)
License # 1004840 - Children's Residential Treatment Center (QRTP)
License # 831080 - Gerard (Nexus) (QRTP)
License # 1036935 - Mille Lacs Academy (QRTP)
License # 1010657 - North Homes - I.T.A.S.K.I.N. Center (QRTP)
License # 1047010 - North Homes - Cottage (QRTP)
License # 800051 - Ain Dah Yung Center (STY)
License # 1092669 - Little Sand Group Home East (STY)
License # 801413 - Little Sand Group Home Lakeside (STY)
License # 801412 - Little Sand Group Home West (STY)
License # 1076384 - Sol House/Life House, Inc. (STY)
License # 1074897 - The Loft/Life house, Inc. (STY)
DOC Licensed Programs/Facilities
License # 1056498 - New Trails (STY)
License # 1067172 - North Homes - Next Step (Boys) (QRTP)
License # 1056074 - North Homes - Boys Program (QRTP)
License # 1028358 - North Homes - TNT (Boys) (QRTP)
License # 1049804 - Prairie Lakes - Boys Home (STY)
License # 1049805 - Prairie Lakes - Girls Home (STY)
License # 1036963 - Nexus Mills Lacs - Andover (STY)
License # 1036970 - Valley Lake Boys Home (STY)
SSIS updates have been scheduled for Saturday October 23rd from 6 – 8 a.m. SWNDX outages are possible, but not anticipated, during this time.
The Contact/Activity screen is used to record staff time, enter contacts and the corresponding case notes about the activities conducted regarding the workgroup. A Contact records the interaction between a worker and participants in a workgroup. Workers should ensure that all fields in the Contact section are completed accurately; entries have impacts on financial claiming (e.g., Targeted Case Management), as well as state and federal performance measures.
In the Status field, select the status of the contact, either “Completed” or “Attempted”.
If the contact was accomplished (e.g., met with a client face to face) then “Completed” should be selected in the Status field.
If the contact was not accomplished (e.g., worker called a client, but did not speak with them and left a voice mail message; went to the home of a client for a scheduled visit, but the client was not home and no face-to-face meeting took place), then “Attempted” school be selected in the Status field.
* Completing an attempt to contact a client/collateral does not constitute a completed activity or contact. In that scenario “Attempted” should be selected for the Status field.
New functionality requested by the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators ( MACSSA) is coming in v21.4 release. This enhancement supports county and tribal administration of adult protective services (APS) programs in their duty to safeguard vulnerable adults.
Functionality added to SSIS provides an option for a county administered email or text notification when an adult maltreatment report received in the agency’s SSIS unassigned intake log includes notification from the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC) of need for assessment of emergency adult protective services (EPS). EPS notifications are made when conditions assessed at the time of the report may result in the loss of health, or serious injury as a result of alleged maltreatment, or when the vulnerable adult is alleged to have experienced a sexual assault and has not received medical attention. APS has a duty to provide an immediate social service response to EPS notifications.
The enhancement allows counties to:
- Add one or more recipients to receive email or text notification when an adult maltreatment report with an EPS referral is received by the agency
- Test for recipient receipt of the email notification
- Turn the notification on and off so that it can be used during specific dates and times such as after the agency’s business hours, weekends, or holidays
The notification will alert the recipient to check the SSIS unassigned intake log for an adult maltreatment report referred for EPS assessment as soon as possible, but no longer than 24 hours from receipt of the referral in SSIS.
Due to unforeseen technical issues SSIS was down approximately seven hours Monday, October 4, 2021, creating a delay in workflow for system users. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the feedback and detailed information provided by SSIS mentors. Information gathered will be analyzed by technical staff to identify and resolve potential issues, as well as improve internal and external procedures.
Mentors are encouraged to continue reporting slowness issues to the SSIS Help Desk by providing detailed information including, but not limited to:
- The number of users affected
- Time of day
- Areas/screens being used when slowness occurred
SSIS mentors are the main point of contact for agency users when guidance is needed with SSIS related issues. Mentors also act as the liaison between agency users and DHS. Mentors can assist with resetting passwords and reopening closed work groups.
The SSIS Help Desk is limited to taking calls and emails from SSIS mentors, coordinators and agency supervisors. All others will be referred back to their agency mentors and coordinators for assistance.
The SSIS Child Protection (CP) Basics courses focus on data entry requirements for caseworkers using a “life of a case” model and various activities pertaining to learning content. These courses are designed for new staff or support staff that enter data into SSIS. This training is also available for new SSIS Mentors and for those seeking a refresher. Classes can be taken as a series or individuals can choose which course(s) to take based on the work they do for their agency.
Class schedules, prerequisites, and registration details can be found here.
To learn about FFPSA, view previously recorded webinars, DHS bulletins and publications, visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services website.
Emergency Background Studies
Instructions with the steps and information entities need to submit an emergency background study are available on NETStudy 2. Frequently asked questions about emergency background studies are also available on the background studies COVID-19 webpage.
Adoption-only background studies and emergency background studies for foster care
This information was originally released in the February 2021 Permanency Support Issue of the CSP Update.
When a child foster care provider is planning to adopt a child under guardianship of the commissioner, but their foster care home study was approved using emergency background studies, adoption-only background studies can be completed on each prospective adoptive parent and all required household members to fulfill background study requirements for adoption and Northstar Adoption Assistance eligibility. This option is only currently available to foster families who are adopting a child under guardianship of the commissioner and whose foster care license was issued using emergency background studies.
Adoption-only background studies have different procedures than child foster care and emergency background studies. Adoption-only background studies are completed using hard fingerprint cards, where fingerprints are taken manually, not electronically, and processed via the former NETStudy system (not NETStudy 2.0). Gemalto Thales fingerprinting sites cannot be used for fingerprint requests for adoption-only background studies, as those locations are for electronic fingerprinting for NETStudy 2.0.
If pursuing this option, agencies should provide fingerprint authorization forms to prospective adoptive parents and all required household members, and direct them to take the form to a location that will complete hard fingerprint cards, such as a local law enforcement or sheriff’s office. The agency who completed the foster care home study for a family must complete a home study update upon receiving the adoption-only background study results.
When submitting Adoption Placement Agreements (APA) to DHS staff in this situation, results from both types of background studies (emergency and adoption-only) must be submitted with the APA.
If you have questions about this option, contact Kathleen Hiniker, permanency unit supervisor, at kathleen.a.hiniker@state.mn.us.
This information was also published in the SSIS Permanency Update, April 1, 2021.
Family First Prevention Services Act
The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) requires that all staff working in a Title IV-E Group Children’s Residential Facility (CRF) receive fingerprint-based “Adam Walsh” background checks in order to meet Title IV-E child safety requirements.
To assist counties and initiative tribes with claiming Title IV-E reimbursements for these placements, we will periodically update the list of facilities that have met the background checks safety requirements.
Click here for an updated list of facilities in compliance
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