Counties to address placement options for youth with complex needs

Following the statewide Working Group on Youth Interventions report submitted to the Minnesota Legislature in February, Hennepin County has initiated a regional approach to addressing the lack of placement options for county-connected youth with complex needs. 

These youth may be involved with multiple systems, including human services and juvenile justice systems. But Minnesota separates the placement options and programming available, which means youth can’t always access the services they need. 

Hennepin County will coordinate a regional workgroup charged with developing a plan for placement options. Participating counties include Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Ramsey, Scott and Washington in the metro region, plus Olmsted County in southeast Minnesota. 

The workgroup will make recommendations to the Hennepin County Board in early 2025. 

Continued calls for state partnership and action

More work is needed in Minnesota to develop a system that can address overlapping juvenile justice and human services needs. 
A multilayered problem stemming from the state’s current licensure and certification structure restricts youth’s access to appropriate services. Reimbursement rates and workforce challenges make it difficult for providers to offer the staffing ratios necessary for safety and service delivery. 

About the statewide working group

The Working Group on Youth Interventions was tasked with evaluating the out-of-home placement options in Minnesota for youth adjudicated to be either child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) or delinquent, with specific focus on therapeutic and rehabilitative services and on the racial disparities that exist within that landscape. 

While the focus of the working group was on the “back end” of the system (post disposition), members recognized and discussed the importance of proactive prevention work, such as diversion and restorative justice programs, that strive to keep youth and families from entering the system.

Read the Working Group on Youth Interventions Report to the Legislature