This bill amends the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act by changing the terminology from "active efforts" to "reasonable efforts" in various sections of the Minnesota Statutes. The amendments aim to ensure that responsible social services agencies make reasonable efforts to prevent the out-of-home placement of African American or disproportionately represented children, promote family reunification, and provide culturally informed and community-based services. The bill outlines specific requirements for social services agencies, including the development of safety plans, conducting case reviews, and ensuring frequent visitation for children in out-of-home placements.

Additionally, the bill repeals a section that defined "active efforts," which previously set a higher standard for social services agencies in their engagement with families. The new language emphasizes a more flexible approach, allowing agencies to focus on reasonable efforts while still addressing the needs of children and families. The bill also mandates that social services agencies conduct reviews of child welfare cases to identify trends and barriers affecting African American and disproportionately represented children, ultimately aiming to reduce disparities in child welfare outcomes.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 260.63, 260.64, 260.641, 260.67, 260.68