MN SF4584

County child welfare workers, supervisors, and Department of Human Services staff must complete a competency certificate within 12 months of employment and before serving as primary case manager for American Indian child or family cases.

Training curriculum must cover the Indian Child Welfare Act, Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, tribal sovereignty and self-determination, historical trauma, cultural competency skills, American Indian cultural ceremonies and traditional healing, and the 11 federally recognized tribes of Minnesota.

American Indian experts must develop and present training using evidence-based methods, simulation-based practice opportunities, and interactive approaches to improve understanding and collaboration between county and state staff with tribal governments and agencies.

Commissioner, in collaboration with the American Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council, shall develop ongoing training requirements, establish methods for tracking certifications, and implement a follow-up system with workers six months after certification.

$1,030,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated to the commissioner of human services for the Tribal Child Welfare Partnership, located at and administered by the University of Minnesota, Duluth Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies.