|
June 2023
Since 2019, Minnesota has been awarded a Preschool Development Grant (PDG) across the departments of Education, Health, Human Services and the Children’s Cabinet. The grant aims to make it easier for children and families to get what they need to thrive.
The 2023 legislative session in Minnesota brought about several exciting changes and opportunities for growth in early childhood, which includes PDG programs!
See updates below and stay tuned for more information.
Table of Contents
- Help Me Connect
- Community Resource Hubs
- Community Solutions
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
- Early Childhood Grow Your Own
- Information Technology (IT) to Improve Coordination
Help Me Connect
Help Me Connect celebrated its two-year anniversary on May 25! The site launched in 2021 and has welcomed over 200,000 unique visitors from all regions of Minnesota and neighboring states. Top key word searches over the past year include autism, transportation, housing, diapers, and mental health. New programs are added each week based on website analytics and suggestions from local community providers.
Help Me Connect was signed into law on May 23, 2023, with funding to support ongoing maintenance and numerous enhancements planned into the future, such as a provider referral system, access to electronic developmental and social-emotional screening, an online chat function, and exploration of a toll-free number for families and providers to access navigation support.
A new section on the website for Pregnant and Expectant Families is scheduled to launch very soon, which will include information regarding pregnancy support organizations, breastfeeding/lactation support, doulas, basic needs, parenting support, mental health and much more.
Community Resource Hubs
Community Resource Centers (CRCs) were signed into law on May 23, 2023, making $5.5 million available in grant funding over four years. Community Resource Centers build on the work of Community Resource Hubs and will have two new additions: a statewide advisory council and local parent advisory councils are both required within statute.
Many of the technical assistance opportunities, trainings, and tools for CRCs are the same as those offered for the hubs including mental health consultation and communities of practice, Help Me Connect and more. We anticipate grants being awarded in July and August of 2024.
|
Community Solutions
Through the advocacy of the Community Solutions Advisory Council, Children’s Defense Fund, Voices and Choices for Children, and many other partners, the Community Solutions for Healthy Child Development (CSF) received ongoing state funding during this legislative session. The goals of the program were unchanged in the new legislation, and the program will continue to focus on investing in community-based solutions to improve child development outcomes and reduce racial disparities among children of color and American Indian children from prenatal to grade three and their families. An advisory council will continue to partner with the Minnesota Department of Health on developing the request for proposals, selecting grantees, and providing support to grantees.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Mental Health Consultation is a preventative service that trains adult care givers in young children’s mental health. Through the Preschool Development Grant, this service was expanded into several settings, including schools. Currently, Mental Health Consultation is available in all 87 counties and within three tribal nations. Effective July 1, 2023, the existing program at the Department of Human Services will be expanded to include schools with an annual $1 million investment.
Early Childhood Grow Your Own
Minnesota’s legislation has expanded K-12 Grow Your Own Grant funding to include opportunities for Early Childhood Educators. Programs can use these grants to develop an early childhood education workforce that more closely reflects the state's increasingly diverse student population and ensures all students have equitable access to high-quality early educators.
Who will be eligible to apply?
- Minnesota-licensed family childcare or licensed center-based childcare programs
- School district or charter school early learning programs
- Head Start programs
- Institutions of higher education
- Other community partnership nongovernmental organizations
The grant can be used to host, build, or expand an early childhood educator preparation program that leads to an individual earning the credential or degree needed to enter or advance in the early childhood education workforce.
Information Technology (IT) to Improve Coordination
Legislation has also expanded IT efforts to ensure better coordination between programs and services and improved experience for Minnesotans. This includes $20 million in one-time funding to improve IT systems and processes for programs impacting children and families, including youth, childcare and early learning programs, currently administered by MDE, DHS and other departments with child and family programs. Additionally, there will be $2 million per year in FY24-25 (available until June 30, 2027) for dedicated, cross-agency IT to deliver innovative digital services to children and families.
Back to Top
Contact
Bella Rolland, PDG Communications Lead
isabella.rolland@state.mn.us
|
