MN HF1494

Appropriates $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 for human services provider workplace safety grants administered by the commissioner of human services.

Grants of $5,000 to $100,000 awarded on first-come, first-served basis, with 40 percent of funds reserved for agencies outside the seven-county metropolitan area.

Eligible uses include safety equipment (cellular phones, personal radios, wearable tracking devices, security cameras, panic buttons), staff training, facility improvements, incident tracking systems, and support services for providers who experienced workplace trauma.

Prohibits grant funding for physical/chemical restraints, body cameras, wearable devices that store location data, and security cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms; requires written consent for audio/video recording equipment and allows clients to decline such equipment without service denial.

Requires grantees to submit reports within two years detailing workplace incidents, safety measures implemented, number of affected employees and clients, and evaluation of effectiveness.