S.F. No. 3779 Summary

• Establishes the Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act requiring local social services agencies to make "active efforts" (a higher standard than "reasonable efforts") to prevent out-of-home placement of African American children and promote family reunification.

• Courts cannot order out-of-home or permanency placement for African American children unless the court finds active efforts were made to preserve the family, including making appropriate and meaningful family-based services available.

• Courts cannot terminate parental rights of African American parents based solely on failure to complete case plan requirements, and cannot terminate rights in cases not involving specific serious crimes or egregious harm; parental rights may be reestablished under certain conditions.

• Creates an African American Child Welfare Oversight Council (15 members, meets at least 8 times yearly, compensated at $100/day) and African American Child Well-Being Department within the Department of Human Services to monitor cases, review services, and ensure compliance with the Act.

• Authorizes direct grants to African American-led organizations and service providers for placement prevention, reunification services, family-based services, culturally specific counseling, and court advocacy; appropriates funds for fiscal year 2019 as an ongoing appropriation.