In re S.M.
Annotate this CaseThis case arose out of dispute between two counties over which county was the "county of financial responsibility" for the out-of-home placement costs incurred after October 1, 2008, for a minor child named S.M. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS) held that Nobles County was responsible for S.M.'s costs. The district court reversed, concluding that the legislative history of Minn. Stat. 256G.10 indicated the legislature intended the county of financial responsibility to be the county where the child last resided with a parent, and therefore, Brown County was the county of financial responsibility. The court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) the language of section 256G.10 was unambiguous and, by its plain language, the county of financial responsibility was the county of the residence of the parent with whom the child last lived, determined at the time the child entered excluded time status; (2) the county of financial responsibility in this case was the county in which S.M.'s mother resided on May 16, 2008, the date S.M. entered excluded time status; and (3) therefore, Nobles County was the county of financial responsibility for S.M.'s out-of-home placement costs for services provided on and after October 1, 2008.
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