Item Description:
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Endorse a workgroup to develop a plan to address placement options for county-connected youth with complex needs
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, in 2023 Minnesota Session Law, Chapter 62, Article 2, § 119, the Minnesota Legislature established a working group on youth interventions “to develop recommendations on the design of a regional system of care for youth interventions, sustainable financing models, and alternative to criminal penalties,” and “to evaluate coordinated approaches to youth with high behavioral health needs with the goal of reducing and eliminating touchpoints with the justice system as well as identifying community-based services to address youth needs and identifying gaps in services”; and
WHEREAS, the Working Group on Youth Interventions delivered its report and recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature in February, 2024; and
WHEREAS, youth with complex needs are often served by multiple systems, including human services and juvenile justice systems; and
WHEREAS, youth of color with complex needs are disproportionately represented in human services and juvenile justice systems; and
WHEREAS, youth found incompetent to proceed in delinquency matters may be referred for services to human services systems; and
WHEREAS, data shows that county-connected youth with complex needs are more likely to demonstrate poor outcomes across health, education, employment, justice, and other disparity domains- with lifelong implications; and
WHEREAS, at this time, there is interest in a metro-wide plan to build and improve the system of care, focused on county-connected youth with complex needs using a whole person, cross-system approach rather than solely a juvenile justice specific response; and
WHEREAS, the State has critical roles in licensure, certification, funding, and other areas that are outside the authority of counties, and State level leadership is needed to ensure necessary change and financial resources to build and improve the system of care in order to improve outcomes for children with the most persistent and complex needs.
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners affirms the work of the 2024 Working Group on Youth Interventions in promoting best practices and improving the system of care; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners directs the County Administrator to convene a workgroup to develop a plan to address placement options for county-connected youth with complex needs in both human services and juvenile justice systems; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this workgroup will focus on best practice approaches and national models in an effort to improve outcomes, reduce disparities, and reflect a strong fiscal framework; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners directs the County Administrator to seek out participation from the seven metro counties, State agencies, and other interested stakeholders with the goal of membership of the workgroup reflecting multiple perspectives and stakeholders, such as:
• Human Services and Juvenile Justice representatives from the seven metro Counties
• Members with expertise in co-occurring conditions including mental and behavioral health needs, developmental and intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders
• Family members with lived experience
• Juvenile Court Judges
• State of Minnesota agencies:
o Department of Human Services (DHS)
o Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
o Department of Corrections (DOC)
o Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
• Other representatives as identified by the chair(s) of the workgroup; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the workgroup should use the Working Group on Youth Interventions Report to the Minnesota Legislature to inform strategies and plans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the workgroup provide a preliminary report with recommendations and legislative proposals by January 7, 2025 and a final report with recommendations to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners by April 1, 2025.
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Background:
Minnesota’s current system has limited options to care for youth with the most complex needs, and those options do not meet current demand. A number of county-connected youth have significant needs due to complex diagnoses, behavioral needs, and trauma, with a very limited number of appropriate placements in either the State of Minnesota or nationwide.
Currently, there is a statewide gap for available services and placements for youth with complex needs, given Minnesota’s lack of adequate resources that can care for the range of presenting problems and underlying conditions. Wait times are more than a year at the state’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Hospital. The number of residential treatment beds has decreased, and the emergency department visits by youth with complex needs has increased by more than 31% since 2020.
While many youth with complex needs can stay with families while receiving in-home and community based support, there remains a small number of youth who cannot remain safely in the community and who require appropriate residential placements.
The gap in the current system disproportionality impacts youth of color and further compounds underlying systemic racial disparities that exist across the state. Action is needed to address the current demand and need for resources, and to develop recommendations for building and improving the regional system of care.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval