The bill seeks to enhance child care assistance and mental health services for families in Minnesota by expanding eligibility for the MFIP child care program to include child-only families with caregivers diagnosed with mental illness, allowing for up to 20 hours of care per week. It also allows minors aged 16 and older to consent to nonresidential mental health services without parental approval. The legislation modifies existing mental health grant programs to better serve children with various mental health issues, establishes a rural family response and stabilization services pilot program, and emphasizes community-based mental health services to improve access for children and families.

Additionally, the bill amends provisions related to nonemergency medical transportation and psychiatric residential treatment facility services for individuals under 21, introducing a new reimbursement structure and increasing the number of certified treatment facility beds. It expands personal care assistance services and introduces children's care coordination to ensure seamless transitions in care. Key changes include a 30% rate increase for home-based services, a young adult continuity of care provision until age 27, and the establishment of aftercare services for children discharged from treatment programs. The bill also allocates funding for various mental health services, including respite care and training for mobile crisis teams, aiming to improve mental health support, particularly in rural areas.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 119B.05, 245.4662, 245.4889, 254B.05, 256.478, 256B.0616, 256B.0622, 256B.0624, 256B.0625, 256B.0659, 256B.0943, 256B.0946, 256B.0947, 260C.007, 260C.708