Department of Children, Youth, and Families Implementation Office Update: July 5, 2024

DCYF Established on July 1

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families was established on Monday, July 1, with Commissioner Tikki Brown in place. Staff and programs will transfer in phases through July 2025.

DCYF will be a permanent cabinet-level agency providing focused leadership on the priorities facing children, youth, and families across the state. In the new agency's first year, the focus will be on building capacity and smoothly transitioning programs and staff.

During the transition, the DCYF Implementation Office will continue to provide planning, project management, and capacity for the department until June 30, 2025.

When will the transition occur?

July 1, 2023: The DCYF Implementation Office was established.

March 1, 2024: A transition report from the commissioner of MMB, on behalf of the Implementation Office, was submitted to the Minnesota Legislature, outlining planning, engagement efforts, and recommendations for the transfer of programs to the new agency.

March 21, 2024: Gov. Walz signed Chapter 80, House File 3646, creating the statutory infrastructure for DCYF.

July 2024: DCYF was established with a commissioner appointed by Governor Walz. Per the planning timeline, programs from Children and Family Services at DHS, Early Learning Services at MDE, and some identified central operations functions will transfer.

October 15, 2024, through July 15, 2025: Quarterly transition reports are due to the Legislature from the commissioner of the DCYF regarding the status of the program transfers.

January 1, 2025: Per the planning timeline, Help Me Connect from MDH transfers.

June 30, 2025: Per statute, the Implementation Office completes final transition preparations and ends its work.

July 1, 2025: Per the planning timeline, all remaining identified programs will transfer. This includes relevant licensing and program integrity functions from the DHS Office of Inspector General, the MDE after-school community learning grant, the DPS Office of Restorative Practices and youth justice programs, and remaining central operations functions.

Stay Connected

As leaders impacted by and interested in the DCYF transition, your feedback and outreach are critical to making this new agency successful.

Please share this newsletter and the DCYF Implementation Office webpage with your network and partners who are impacted by the transition to keep them updated on announcements and opportunities. We also encourage you to share engagement opportunities, recommendations, and questions with the Implementation Office at dcyf.implementation.mmb@state.mn.us.

Leaders at DCYF

In addition to Commissioner Brown, the following executives have been announced as part of the DCYF leadership team:

• Cynthia Jahnke, General Counsel
• Carissa Larsen, Communications Director
• Samuel A. Moose, Tribal Relations Director
• Jessica Nowlin, Chief Compliance Officer
• Stephanie Ostwald, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner
• Ashley Reisenauer, Chief Financial Officer
• Jennifer Sommerfeld, Government Relations Director
• Tyrone Spratt, MNIT DCYF Chief Business Technology Officer

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and themes through engagement opportunities that helped inform the hiring process 

The hiring processes for other executive roles, including deputy and assistant commissioners, are still underway.

Navigating the Transition

Our goal is to ensure that the transition to DCYF is as smooth as possible for partners, providers, and the people we serve.

Preventing any service disruptions is a priority throughout the transition. Individuals and families who receive services that will be provided by DCYF do not need to take any additional action to renew or continue those supports at the new agency.

In most cases, the email contacts for state employees transferring to DCYF will remain the same. Partners and providers should continue to work with the same state contacts.

Please continue to reach out to the Implementation Office with any questions.

What happens to the Children's Cabinet once DCYF is established?

The Children’s Cabinet will continue its work. Coordination of people, data, and policy across state government is essential, as emphasized in the 2022 State-Level Governance for Early Childhood Programs in Minnesota report and other national reports highlighting the importance of inter-agency collaboration regardless of a state's government structure. The Children’s Cabinet’s role in aligning and convening people, data, money, and policy around priorities like children's mental health, economic security, public health, and other areas across state agencies continues to be important, and as such, will continue to be housed at Minnesota Management and Budget.

Quick Links

DCYF Implementation Office

Frequently Asked Questions

Part C FAQs

Contact Us

About the Department of Children, Youth, and Families Implementation Office

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families Implementation Office, housed at MMB, provides project management, coordination, and capacity for the budget, policy, and administrative planning necessary to transfer programs centered on children and families, and associated finances, to the new agency.

Contact Us.

Website: DCYF Implementation Office
Email: dcyf.implementation.mmb@state.mn.us