1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; appropriating money for statewide parent-to-parent programs 
1.3 	for families with a child with special health care needs.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
 1.6 	(a) $....... in fiscal year 2018 and $...... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the 
1.7 	general fund to the commissioner of human services for grants to organizations to support 
1.8 	the organizations' parent-to-parent programs for families of children and youth with special 
1.9 	health care needs. This is a onetime appropriation.
1.10 	(b) Eligible organizations must have an established parent-to-parent program that conducts 
1.11 	outreach and support to newly identified parents or guardians of a child or youth with special 
1.12 	health care needs; that provides training to educate parents and guardians in ways to support 
1.13 	their child and navigate the health, education, and human services systems; that facilitates 
1.14 	ongoing peer support for parents and guardians from trained volunteer support parents; and 
1.15 	that communicates regularly with other parent-to-parent programs and national organizations 
1.16 	to ensure best practices are implemented.
1.17 	(c) Grant recipients must use grant funds for the purposes in paragraph (b).
1.18 	(d) For the purposes of this section, "special health care needs" means disabilities, chronic 
1.19 	illnesses or conditions, health-related educational or behavioral problems, or the risk of 
1.20 	developing disabilities, conditions, illnesses, or problems.
1.21 	(e) Grant recipients must report to the commissioner of human services annually by 
1.22 	January 15 on the services and programs funded by the appropriation. The report must 
2.1 	include measurable outcomes from the previous year, including the number of families 
2.2 	served and the number of volunteer support parents trained.