1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing the informal kinship caregiver support 
1.3 	grant program; expanding financial support for adoptive, foster, and kinship 
1.4 	families; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
1.5 	chapter 256N.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [256N.265] INFORMAL KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT GRANT 
1.8 	PROGRAM.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The informal caregiver support grant program is 
1.10 	established in the Department of Human Services for an eligible community-based nonprofit 
1.11 	organization to provide informal kinship caregivers, not restricted to familial status, 
1.12 	connection to local and statewide resources and support that reduces the need for child 
1.13 	welfare involvement or risk of child welfare involvement.
1.14 		Subd. 2.Eligible grantees. Eligible grantees are community-based nonprofit 
1.15 	organizations with a demonstrated history of kinship caregiver support, ability to increase 
1.16 	capacity of caregivers served, and ability to serve racially and geographically diverse 
1.17 	populations. Grantees shall be capable of developing informal kinship caregiver support in 
1.18 	alignment with a consistent set of replicable standards.
1.19 		Subd. 3.Allowable uses of funds. Eligible grantees must use funds to assess informal 
1.20 	kinship caregiver and child needs, provide connection to local and statewide resources, 
1.21 	provide case management to assist with complex cases, and provide supports to reduce the 
1.22 	need for child welfare involvement or risk of child welfare involvement.

2.1 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; INFORMAL KINSHIP CAREGIVER SUPPORT.
 2.2 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
2.3 	fund to the commissioner of human services for the informal kinship caregiver grant program 
2.4 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 256N.265. The commissioner shall use up to ten percent 
2.5 	of appropriated funds in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to contract for an external evaluation 
2.6 	of the informal kinship caregiver support grant program. The general fund base for this 
2.7 	appropriation is $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027.

2.8 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; SUPPORT FOR KINSHIP FAMILIES.
 2.9 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
2.10 	fund to the commissioner of human services to support relative caregivers by expanding 
2.11 	financial support for adoptive, foster, and kinship families under Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.12 	256N.261. The commissioner shall make grants to eligible public and private agencies for 
2.13 	the delivery of individualized support to relative caregivers and prospective relative 
2.14 	caregivers as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.007, subdivision 27. Grantees 
2.15 	shall support relative caregivers with licensing and ongoing services specific to meet the 
2.16 	unique needs of the relative children and caregivers. Priority must be placed on public and 
2.17 	private licensing agencies that can demonstrate expertise in supporting relative caregivers.