The Minnesota Department of Human Services, which formerly handled all state service agencies, has moved matters involving children, youth, and family into a new, separate department. The newly launched MN Department of Children, Youth, and Family Services consolidates all child-focused programs into one department to make it easier for child care providers and families to access.
In partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, the new department aims to streamline operations. The department has reformed its screening process for reporting to child protection, as well as its training process for child welfare staff. Senior Executive Director of Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare Traci LaLiberte says her favorite element is the continuous feedback loop that utilizes data and research to offer the best support services.
“It makes it a greater possibility for families to be successful. Because in the end, that's what we're all here for,’ says Senior Executive Director of Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, Traci LaLiberte.
LaLiberte says the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare provides research to the department that identifies both challenges and solutions within the child welfare system. She says a country wide study proved that sending residents to separate agencies for their issues was counterintuitive and more overwhelming for families. She says by hosting all child related programs provided by the State under one umbrella, providers can make the process of seeking support more efficient for local residents.
“Families don't live in a silo. Families are not just getting child welfare services. Families who are receiving child welfare services are at high risk in other areas… Homelessness, unemployment, underemployment, domestic violence, disparities in medical care, health and wealth… We have to have an integrated approach to how we're going to address disparities for different marginalized groups across our social service systems. One entity can't fix it, because it's getting fed by the other service systems as well,” said LaLiberte.
“That's not to pass the buck. We have responsibility. Do we have workers that have bias? Of course we do. Do we have workers who are racist? Of course we do. Are our systems institutionally based in racist structures? Yes, absolutely… And do you have people who are working tirelessly to try to dismantle and to change those things? You do. But one of the things that I think we miss repeatedly in child welfare is that we're trying to do all of this within our system. And then we realize that the systems feeding into child welfare [housing, health care, employment], also haven't solved that. And so the disparity is coming from outside in, it's being permeated inside and expanded,” said LaLiberte. “And I think research shows this – any one entity doing it by itself is an unsustainable change.”
The department is in part the result of a 2014 child protection lawsuit involving the murder of Eric Dean; a four year old boy who died because of a failure to properly investigate his case. Eric had 15 reports of abuse filed on his behalf by daycare workers and other caregivers. Nine of those were closed without investigation or assessment. After Eric’s death and the persecution of his step mom, Amanda Peltier, who was found guilty of first-degree murder, a Governor’s Task Force for the Protection of Children was created, and made 93 recommendations to improve Minnesota's child welfare system. The new Department was part of that solution.
LaLiberte says a big component of the department’s foundation was getting input from people who have used these services, who come predominantly from marginalized communities. As a result, she says the department has a strong diversity, equity and inclusion framework.
“We really are looking to train child welfare workers to be aware of their own positionality. Minnesota has a tremendous challenge with racial disparities and disproportionality. And there are certainly other marginalized communities who are disproportionately represented in child welfare as well. And our goal is really to make sure that the workers are knowledgeable about that,” said LaLiberte.
The Center for Broadcast Journalism reached out to the Department for comment. A representative responded that they will offer more insight into operations after their first month up and running.
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