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On June 18, 2025, family child care and child care center licensing, child care center certification, child foster care licensing, and private child-placing agency licensing will move from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
DHS will continue to license and have jurisdiction over adult foster care and related programs, child foster residence settings, home and community-based services, children’s residential facilities, substance use disorder treatment, and mental health services.
Licensing process
- A license holder’s existing DHS license certificate will remain valid through the current license period when the transfer to DCYF occurs. License holders will not need to reapply or take any action. License holders will get a new DCYF license certificate when their current license expires. The current license number associated with the program will not change.
- There is no change to which programs are directly licensed by the State of Minnesota and which programs are licensed by the counties or private agencies.
- All current variances will transfer with the license to the new agency.
- Anyone currently using the Provider Hub will continue to use it after licensing transfers to DCYF.
- Over time, licensing forms will be updated to reflect DCYF branding, statutory location changes, and updated contact information.
- Depending on their caseload, some county licensors may work with both DHS and DCYF licensing.
- The process will change for dually licensed providers. Dually licensed providers serving both children and adults will need variance approval from both DCYF and DHS, and will receive the respective license certificate from each department. Further instructions will be provided to county and private agency licensors.
Licensing requirements in Minnesota Statutes
- Existing licensing and certification standards currently found in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245A and chapter 245H will move to new Minnesota Statutes chapters 142B (licensing) and 142C (certification). The new statute locations will be effective on June 18, 2025, when family child care and child care center licensing, child care certification, child foster care licensing, and private child-placing agency licensing transfer from DHS to DCYF.
- The licensing and certification requirements remain the same; only the location of where to find them is changing.
- Requirements found in Minnesota Rules will not move.
- Background study requirements in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245C will not move.
- The Maltreatment of Minors Act in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 260E will not move.
- Please refer to the licensing crosswalk document and the certification crosswalk document that outline where requirements are currently found and where they will be found in the new chapters of statute.
Communication
- DHS licensing webpages will continue to be resources for providers. The website will transition when licensing moves to DCYF.
- Licensed or certified child care centers can continue to contact their licensor or the licensor on call. The phone numbers for licensed and certified child care center licensors will not change.
- Family child care providers and family child foster care providers can continue to contact their county or private agency licensor.
- Private child-placing agencies can continue to contact their licensor or foster care triage.
Contact information
Agency phone numbers will change effective June 18, 2025. Please update your records.
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DCYF Licensing: 651-539-8300
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DCYF Program Integrity Oversight Tips: 651-539-8211 (Toll-free: 833-454-0155)
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DCYF Intake and Investigations: 651-539-8222
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DCYF Licensing Fax Number: 651-539-0020
The phone number for the Child Care Center Unit will continue to be 651-431-6015.
The phone numbers for DHS will remain the same:
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DHS Licensing: 651-431-6500
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DHS Program Integrity Oversight Tips: 651-431-2650 (Toll-free: 1-800-657-3750)
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DHS Intake and Investigations: 651-431-6600
Mailing addresses and P.O. boxes for both agencies will remain the same.
Individual state employee email addresses will remain the same.
The below shared email addresses will change effective June 18, 2025, to say DCYF. Please update your contacts.
Beginning June 18, 2025, child maltreatment reports regarding licensed or certified child care centers should be made to DCYF Intake at 651-539-8222. Centers should update their maltreatment reporting policies to reflect the new contact information. Pending DHS maltreatment investigations in licensed and certified child care settings will move to DCYF jurisdiction and will be completed by DCYF.
Maltreatment reporting for other licensed programs will not change.
Visit the Office of Inspector General transition website for more information.
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