1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; specifying grant requirements for 
  1.3             home visiting programs; appropriating money; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 145A.15, subdivision 
  1.5             2. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 145A.15, 
  1.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [GRANT RECIPIENTS.] (a) The commissioner is 
  1.10  authorized to award grants to programs that meet the 
  1.11  requirements of subdivision 3 and include a strong child abuse 
  1.12  and neglect prevention focus for families in need of services.  
  1.13  Priority will be given to families considered to be in need of 
  1.14  additional services.  These families include, but are not 
  1.15  limited to, families with: 
  1.16     (1) adolescent parents; 
  1.17     (2) a history of alcohol and other drug abuse; 
  1.18     (3) a history of child abuse, domestic abuse, or other 
  1.19  types of violence in the family of origin; 
  1.20     (4) a history of domestic abuse, rape, or other forms of 
  1.21  victimization; 
  1.22     (5) reduced cognitive functioning; 
  1.23     (6) a lack of knowledge of child growth and development 
  1.24  stages; 
  1.25     (7) low resiliency to adversities and environmental 
  2.1   stresses; or 
  2.2      (8) lack of sufficient financial resources to meet their 
  2.3   needs. 
  2.4      (b) Grants made under this section shall be used to fund 
  2.5   existing home visiting programs and to establish new programs.  
  2.6   The commissioner shall award grants to all existing home 
  2.7   visiting programs that meet the program requirements in 
  2.8   subdivision 3, regardless of the number of years an existing 
  2.9   program has received grant funds in the past. 
  2.10     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.11     $500,000 in fiscal year 1999 is appropriated from the 
  2.12  general fund to the commissioner of health for the grant program 
  2.13  established under Minnesota Statutes, section 145A.15, that 
  2.14  funds home visiting projects.  At least 25 percent of this 
  2.15  appropriation shall be used to accomplish any of the following:  
  2.16  establish new home visiting programs; increase statewide 
  2.17  availability of home visiting services by expanding the areas 
  2.18  served by home visiting programs; and enhance or expand services 
  2.19  at existing home visiting programs.