1999 Minnesota Code
Chapters 245 - 267 Public Welfare and Related Activities
Chapter 256 Human Services
Section 256.736 Repealed, 1999 c 159 s 154

256.736 Repealed, 1999 c 159 s 154

* NOTE: Subdivision 11 was also amended by Laws 1996, *chapter 412, article 4, section 25, to read as follows:

* "Subd. 11. Case management services. (a) The county *agency may, to the extent of available resources, enroll *targeted caretakers described in subdivision 16 in case *management services and for those enrolled shall:

* (1) Provide an assessment as described in subdivision 10, *paragraph (a), clause (14). As part of the assessment, the case *manager shall inform caretakers of the screenings available *through the early periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment *(EPSDT) program under chapter 256B and preschool screening under *chapter 123, and encourage caretakers to have their children *screened. The case manager must work with the caretaker in *completing this task;

* (2) Develop an employability development plan as described *in subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clause (15). The case manager *must work with the caretaker in completing this task. For *caretakers who are not literate or who have not completed high *school, the first goal for the caretaker should be to complete *literacy training or a general equivalency diploma. Caretakers *who are literate and have completed high school shall be *counseled to set realistic attainable goals, taking into account *the long-term needs of both the caretaker and the caretaker's *family;

* (3) Coordinate services such as child care, transportation, *and education assistance necessary to enable the caretaker to *work toward the goals developed in clause (2). The case manager *shall refer caretakers to resource and referral services, if *available, and shall assist caretakers in securing appropriate *child care services. When a client needs child care services in *order to attend a Minnesota public or nonprofit college, *university or technical college, the case manager shall contact *the appropriate agency to reserve child care funds for the *client. A caretaker who needs child care services in order to *complete high school or a general equivalency diploma is *eligible for child care under sections 119B.01 to 119B.16;

* (4) Develop, execute, and monitor a contract between the *county agency and the caretaker. The contract must be based *upon the employability development plan described in subdivision *10, paragraph (a), clause (15), but must be a separate *document. It must include: (a) specific goals of the caretaker *including stated measurements of progress toward each goal, the *estimated length of participation in the program, and the number *of hours of participation per week; (b) educational, training, *and employment activities and support services provided by the *county agency, including child care; and (c) the participant's *obligations and the conditions under which the county will *withdraw the services provided;

* The contract must be signed and dated by the case manager *and participant and may include other terms as desired or needed *by either party. In all cases, however, the case manager must *assist the participant in reviewing and understanding the *contract and must ensure that the caretaker has set forth in the *contract realistic goals consistent with the ultimate goal of *self-sufficiency for the caretaker's family; and

* (5) Develop and refer caretakers to counseling or peer *group networks for emotional support while participating in *work, education, or training.

* (b) In addition to the duties in paragraph (a), for minor *parents and pregnant minors, the case manager shall:

* (1) Ensure that the contract developed under paragraph (a), *clause (4), considers all factors set forth in section 257.33, *subdivision 2;

* (2) Assess the housing and support systems needed by the *caretaker in order to provide the dependent children with *adequate parenting. The case manager shall encourage minor *parents and pregnant minors who are not living with friends or *relatives to live in a group home or foster care setting. If *minor parents and pregnant minors are unwilling to live in a *group home or foster care setting or if no group home or foster *care setting is available, the case manager shall assess their *need for training in parenting and independent living skills and *when appropriate shall refer them to available counseling *programs designed to teach needed skills; and

* (3) Inform minor parents or pregnant minors of, and assist *them in evaluating the appropriateness of, the graduation *incentives program under section 126.22, including *post-secondary enrollment options, and the employment-related *and community-based instruction programs.

* (c) A caretaker may request a conciliation conference to *attempt to resolve disputes regarding the contents of a contract *developed under this section or a housing and support systems *assessment conducted under this section. The caretaker may *request a hearing pursuant to section 256.045 to dispute the *contents of a contract or assessment developed under this *section. The caretaker need not request a conciliation *conference in order to request a hearing pursuant to section *256.045."