Bill Text: MN HF3006 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Corrections and human services commissioners required to offer reentry planning services upon discharge to offenders leaving correctional facilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-12 - Introduction and first reading, referred to Public Safety Finance and Policy [HF3006 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF3006-Introduced.html
1.2relating to corrections; requiring commissioners of corrections and human
1.3services to offer reentry planning services upon discharge to offenders leaving
1.4correctional facilities;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.5chapter 244.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [244.0538] DISCHARGE PLANS.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Offer to develop plan. Except for an offender with serious and
1.9persistent mental illness who receives a discharge plan under section 244.054, the
1.10commissioner of human services, in collaboration with the commissioner of corrections,
1.11shall offer to develop a discharge plan for community-based services for every offender
1.12who is being released from a correctional facility. If an offender is released pursuant to
1.13section 244.05, the offender may choose to have the discharge plan made one of the
1.14conditions of the offender's supervised release and shall follow the conditions to the extent
1.15that services are available and offered to the offender.
1.16 Subd. 2. Content of plan. If an offender chooses to have a discharge plan
1.17developed, the commissioner of human services shall develop and implement a discharge
1.18plan, which must include at a minimum the following:
1.19(1) at least 90 days before the offender is due to be discharged, the commissioner of
1.20human services shall designate an agent of the Department of Human Services with social
1.21services training to serve as the primary person responsible for carrying out discharge
1.22planning activities;
1.23(2) at least 75 days before the offender is due to be discharged, the offender's
1.24designated agent shall:
2.1(i) obtain informed consent and releases of information from the offender that are
2.2needed for transition services;
2.3(ii) contact the county human services department in the community where the
2.4offender expects to reside following discharge, and inform the department of the offender's
2.5impending discharge and the planned date of the offender's return to the community,
2.6determine whether the county or a designated contracted provider will provide social
2.7services to the offender, refer the offender to the social services provider, and confirm that
2.8the social services provider will have opened the offender's case prior to the offender's
2.9discharge; and
2.10(iii) refer the offender to appropriate staff in the county human services department
2.11in the community where the offender expects to reside following discharge, for enrollment
2.12of the offender if eligible in programs for housing, financial support, benefits assistance,
2.13employment counseling, and other available services;
2.14(3) at least 30 days before discharge, the offender's designated agent shall convene a
2.15predischarge assessment and planning meeting of key staff from the programs in which
2.16the offender has participated while in the correctional facility, the offender, the supervising
2.17agent, and the social services provider assigned to the offender. At the meeting, attendees
2.18shall provide background information and recommendations for the offender, including
2.19information on the offender's risk for recidivism, therapy and behavioral goals; diagnostic
2.20and assessment information, including results of a chemical dependency evaluation; needs
2.21for housing, employment, and finance support and assistance; and recommendations for
2.22successful community integration, including chemical dependency treatment or support if
2.23chemical dependency is a risk factor. The offender's designated agent shall summarize
2.24the background information and continuing care recommendations in a written report
2.25immediately following the meeting;
2.26(4) immediately following the predischarge assessment and planning meeting, the
2.27provider of social services who will serve the offender following discharge shall offer
2.28to make arrangements and referrals for housing, financial support, benefits assistance,
2.29employment counseling, and other services as needed;
2.30(5) upon discharge, the offender's designated agent shall ensure that the offender
2.31leaves the correctional facility with a secured appointment with a local social or
2.32human services provider as well as a copy of the written discharge plan. The agent
2.33shall also ensure that the offender is provided with a list of community resources
2.34including information on housing and shelter options, employment counseling, education
2.35opportunities, health care, childcare, and legal services providers; and
3.1(6) if an offender is a parent of a minor child and wishes to establish a relationship
3.2with that child upon discharge, the offender's designated agent shall include in the
3.3offender's discharge plan a secured appointment for consultation with an appropriate legal
3.4services provider or social services worker to discuss parental rights and reunification.
1.3services to offer reentry planning services upon discharge to offenders leaving
1.4correctional facilities;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.5chapter 244.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [244.0538] DISCHARGE PLANS.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Offer to develop plan. Except for an offender with serious and
1.9persistent mental illness who receives a discharge plan under section 244.054, the
1.10commissioner of human services, in collaboration with the commissioner of corrections,
1.11shall offer to develop a discharge plan for community-based services for every offender
1.12who is being released from a correctional facility. If an offender is released pursuant to
1.13section 244.05, the offender may choose to have the discharge plan made one of the
1.14conditions of the offender's supervised release and shall follow the conditions to the extent
1.15that services are available and offered to the offender.
1.16 Subd. 2. Content of plan. If an offender chooses to have a discharge plan
1.17developed, the commissioner of human services shall develop and implement a discharge
1.18plan, which must include at a minimum the following:
1.19(1) at least 90 days before the offender is due to be discharged, the commissioner of
1.20human services shall designate an agent of the Department of Human Services with social
1.21services training to serve as the primary person responsible for carrying out discharge
1.22planning activities;
1.23(2) at least 75 days before the offender is due to be discharged, the offender's
1.24designated agent shall:
2.1(i) obtain informed consent and releases of information from the offender that are
2.2needed for transition services;
2.3(ii) contact the county human services department in the community where the
2.4offender expects to reside following discharge, and inform the department of the offender's
2.5impending discharge and the planned date of the offender's return to the community,
2.6determine whether the county or a designated contracted provider will provide social
2.7services to the offender, refer the offender to the social services provider, and confirm that
2.8the social services provider will have opened the offender's case prior to the offender's
2.9discharge; and
2.10(iii) refer the offender to appropriate staff in the county human services department
2.11in the community where the offender expects to reside following discharge, for enrollment
2.12of the offender if eligible in programs for housing, financial support, benefits assistance,
2.13employment counseling, and other available services;
2.14(3) at least 30 days before discharge, the offender's designated agent shall convene a
2.15predischarge assessment and planning meeting of key staff from the programs in which
2.16the offender has participated while in the correctional facility, the offender, the supervising
2.17agent, and the social services provider assigned to the offender. At the meeting, attendees
2.18shall provide background information and recommendations for the offender, including
2.19information on the offender's risk for recidivism, therapy and behavioral goals; diagnostic
2.20and assessment information, including results of a chemical dependency evaluation; needs
2.21for housing, employment, and finance support and assistance; and recommendations for
2.22successful community integration, including chemical dependency treatment or support if
2.23chemical dependency is a risk factor. The offender's designated agent shall summarize
2.24the background information and continuing care recommendations in a written report
2.25immediately following the meeting;
2.26(4) immediately following the predischarge assessment and planning meeting, the
2.27provider of social services who will serve the offender following discharge shall offer
2.28to make arrangements and referrals for housing, financial support, benefits assistance,
2.29employment counseling, and other services as needed;
2.30(5) upon discharge, the offender's designated agent shall ensure that the offender
2.31leaves the correctional facility with a secured appointment with a local social or
2.32human services provider as well as a copy of the written discharge plan. The agent
2.33shall also ensure that the offender is provided with a list of community resources
2.34including information on housing and shelter options, employment counseling, education
2.35opportunities, health care, childcare, and legal services providers; and
3.1(6) if an offender is a parent of a minor child and wishes to establish a relationship
3.2with that child upon discharge, the offender's designated agent shall include in the
3.3offender's discharge plan a secured appointment for consultation with an appropriate legal
3.4services provider or social services worker to discuss parental rights and reunification.
