Item Description:
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Agmt A2613520, a Joint Powers Agreement between Hennepin County and the Counties of Isanti and Sherburne to collaborate in the Next Generation Employment Services Grant and launch the “Together We Thrive” pilot program, 10/01/26-09/30/27, $558,235.29 (recv)
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A2613520 with Isanti and Sherburne Counties to establish how the Hennepin, Isanti, and Sherburne (HIS) Counties will work in collaboration to meet the objectives of the NextGen Grant and the Together We Thrive pilot program, during the period October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, in a receivable amount not to exceed $588,235.29 be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the County; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, this Joint Powers Agreement will be renewed and extended on an annual basis each October 1 through September 30, through 2030, contingent upon funding availability from DCYF and compliance with the terms of the DCYF contract and the JPA by the counties and the employment services provider (ESP); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Hennepin, Isanti and Sherburne Counties agree to utilize the same ESP for NextGen and the Together We Thrive pilot program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Hennepin County’s Child Support Services (CSS) will serve as the fiscal agent for Isanti and Sherburne Counties and provide funding from the NextGen Grant to the ESP delivering services to the non-custodial parents in all three counties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continued commitment by Hennepin County for this program when grant funds are no longer available.
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Background:
Hennepin, Isanti, and Sherburne Counties have agreed to collaborate on the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ (DCYF) NextGen Employment Services Grant. DCYF received the federally funded NextGen Grant in 2024, a five year demonstration initiative that allows the State of Minnesota, working with Hennepin and four additional counties, one county alliance, and one Tribe, to pilot new approaches to providing employment services to non-custodial parents. The goal is to improve employment stability, increase income, and enhance the ability of non-custodial parents to meet their child support obligations.
To implement this work, DCYF and Hennepin County, on behalf of Child Support Services (CSS), executed contract A2613477, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, to carry out NextGen activities on behalf of Hennepin, Isanti, and Sherburne (HIS) Counties. DCYF is the primary recipient of the federal funds, and Hennepin County CSS will serve as a sub recipient. Through these funds, Hennepin County will launch the Together We Thrive pilot program and contract with an employment services provider (ESP) to deliver employment services to non-custodial parents across the three counties.
This represents Hennepin County’s first contract year with DCYF under the NextGen Grant, with funding anticipated for the first three years, contingent on funding availability and compliance with program objectives by the counties and the ESP. In support of this work, Hennepin County CSS and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will execute Memorandum of Understanding A2613523 to establish how HIS Counties and DWD will work with the ESP to deliver services under the Together We Thrive pilot program and meet the objectives of the NextGen Grant.
The Together We Thrive program is an employment services and work readiness initiative designed to transform how HIS Counties approach child support and support families. Because children do best when both parents are stable, this pilot focuses on helping non-custodial parents find and retain gainful employment. Through partnership with the ESP, the program will offer job training and career pathways, individualized coaching, skill building, and employment readiness services aimed at addressing the unique barriers that keep parents unemployed. By investing in non-custodial parents’ long-term success, this initiative aims to strengthen family stability and ensure children receive consistent financial support.
The goals of this initiative are to:
• Promote economic stability and employment for non-custodial parents.
• Increase consistent child support payments.
• Improve family wellbeing.
• Reduce enforcement actions and disparities.
• Build a foundation for long term family centered service delivery.
NextGen includes a national evaluation component and will measure outcomes related to increased and more consistent child support payments in Minnesota and across participating states.
Disparity Elimination Domains:
This agreement aims to address disparities in employment and income by providing employment services to non-custodial parents, which will result in the transfer of income from non-custodial parents to the custodial parents providing care for the child(ren) in their households. Non-custodial parents will have the opportunity to increase their employability and create stability for themselves while meeting obligations in support of overall family wellbeing.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval