Bill Text: MN HF310 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Cultural and Ethnic Leadership Communities Council for the Department of Human Services created.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-08 - Author added Isaacson [HF310 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF310-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to human services; creating the Cultural and Ethnic Leadership
1.3Communities Council; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.4chapter 256.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [256.999] CULTURAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES LEADERSHIP
1.7COUNCIL.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Establishment; purpose. There is hereby established the Cultural
1.9and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council for the Department of Human Services. The
1.10purpose of the council is to advise the commissioner of human services on reducing
1.11disparities that affect racial and ethnic groups.
1.12 Subd. 2. Members. (a) The council must consist of no fewer than 15 and no more
1.13than 25 members appointed by the commissioner of human services, in consultation with
1.14county, tribal, cultural, and ethnic communities; diverse program participants; and parent
1.15representatives from these communities. The commissioner shall direct the development
1.16of guidelines defining the membership of the council; setting out definitions; and
1.17developing duties of the commissioner, the council, and council members regarding racial
1.18and ethnic disparities reduction. The guidelines must be developed in consultation with:
1.19(1) the chairs of relevant committees; and
1.20(2) county, tribal, and cultural communities and program participants from these
1.21communities.
1.22(b) Members must be appointed to allow for representation of the following groups:
1.23(1) racial and ethnic minority groups;
1.24(2) tribal service providers;
2.1(3) culturally and linguistically specific advocacy groups and service providers;
2.2(4) human services program participants;
2.3(5) public and private institutions;
2.4(6) parents of human services program participants;
2.5(7) members of the faith community;
2.6(8) Department of Human Services employees;
2.7(9) chairs of relevant legislative committees; and
2.8(10) any other group the commissioner deems appropriate to facilitate the goals
2.9and duties of the council.
2.10(c) Each member of the council must be appointed to either a one-year or two-year
2.11term. The commissioner shall appoint one member as chair.
2.12(d) Notwithstanding section 15.059, members of the council shall receive no
2.13compensation for their services.
2.14 Subd. 3. Duties of commissioner. (a) The commissioner of human services or the
2.15commissioner's designee shall:
2.16(1) maintain the council established in this section;
2.17(2) supervise and coordinate policies for persons from racial, ethnic, cultural,
2.18linguistic, and tribal communities who experience disparities in access and outcomes;
2.19(3) identify human services rules or statutes affecting persons from racial, ethnic,
2.20cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities that may need to be revised;
2.21(4) investigate and implement cost-effective models of service delivery such as
2.22careful adaptation of clinically proven services that constitute one strategy for increasing
2.23the number of culturally relevant services available to currently underserved populations;
2.24(5) based on recommendations of the council, review identified department
2.25policies that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities, and make
2.26adjustments to ensure those disparities are not perpetuated; and
2.27(6) based on recommendations of the council, submit legislation to reduce disparities
2.28affecting racial and ethnic groups, increase access to programs, and promote better
2.29outcomes.
2.30(b) The commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee shall
2.31consult with the council and receive recommendations from the council when meeting
2.32the requirements of this section.
2.33 Subd. 4. Duties of council. The Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership
2.34Council shall:
2.35(1) recommend to the commissioner for review identified policies in the Department
2.36of Human Services that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities;
3.1(2) identify issues regarding disparities by engaging diverse populations in human
3.2services programs;
3.3(3) engage in mutual learning essential for achieving human services parity and
3.4optimal wellness for service recipients;
3.5(4) raise awareness about human services disparities to the legislature and media;
3.6(5) provide technical assistance and consultation support to counties, private
3.7nonprofit agencies, and other service providers to build their capacity to provide equitable
3.8human services for persons from racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities
3.9who experience disparities in access and outcomes;
3.10(6) provide technical assistance to promote statewide development of culturally
3.11and linguistically appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services and related
3.12policies;
3.13(7) provide training and outreach to facilitate access to culturally and linguistically
3.14appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services to prevent disparities;
3.15(8) facilitate culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive admissions, continued
3.16services, discharges, and utilization review for human services agencies and institutions;
3.17(9) form work groups to help carry out the duties of the council that include, but are
3.18not limited to, persons who provide and receive services and representatives of advocacy
3.19groups, and provide the work groups with clear guidelines, standardized parameters, and
3.20tasks for the work groups to accomplish; and
3.21(10) promote information-sharing in the human services community and statewide.
3.22 Subd. 5. Duties of council members. The members of the council shall:
3.23(1) attend and participate in scheduled meetings and be prepared by reviewing
3.24meeting notes;
3.25(2) maintain open communication channels with respective constituencies;
3.26(3) identify and communicate issues and risks that could impact the timely
3.27completion of tasks;
3.28(4) collaborate on disparity reduction efforts;
3.29(5) communicate updates of the council's work progress and status on the
3.30Department of Human Services Web site; and
3.31(6) participate in any activities the council or chair deem appropriate and necessary
3.32to facilitate the goals and duties of the council.
3.33 Subd. 6. Expiration. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the council does not expire
3.34unless directed by the commissioner.
1.3Communities Council; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.4chapter 256.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [256.999] CULTURAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES LEADERSHIP
1.7COUNCIL.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Establishment; purpose. There is hereby established the Cultural
1.9and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council for the Department of Human Services. The
1.10purpose of the council is to advise the commissioner of human services on reducing
1.11disparities that affect racial and ethnic groups.
1.12 Subd. 2. Members. (a) The council must consist of no fewer than 15 and no more
1.13than 25 members appointed by the commissioner of human services, in consultation with
1.14county, tribal, cultural, and ethnic communities; diverse program participants; and parent
1.15representatives from these communities. The commissioner shall direct the development
1.16of guidelines defining the membership of the council; setting out definitions; and
1.17developing duties of the commissioner, the council, and council members regarding racial
1.18and ethnic disparities reduction. The guidelines must be developed in consultation with:
1.19(1) the chairs of relevant committees; and
1.20(2) county, tribal, and cultural communities and program participants from these
1.21communities.
1.22(b) Members must be appointed to allow for representation of the following groups:
1.23(1) racial and ethnic minority groups;
1.24(2) tribal service providers;
2.1(3) culturally and linguistically specific advocacy groups and service providers;
2.2(4) human services program participants;
2.3(5) public and private institutions;
2.4(6) parents of human services program participants;
2.5(7) members of the faith community;
2.6(8) Department of Human Services employees;
2.7(9) chairs of relevant legislative committees; and
2.8(10) any other group the commissioner deems appropriate to facilitate the goals
2.9and duties of the council.
2.10(c) Each member of the council must be appointed to either a one-year or two-year
2.11term. The commissioner shall appoint one member as chair.
2.12(d) Notwithstanding section 15.059, members of the council shall receive no
2.13compensation for their services.
2.14 Subd. 3. Duties of commissioner. (a) The commissioner of human services or the
2.15commissioner's designee shall:
2.16(1) maintain the council established in this section;
2.17(2) supervise and coordinate policies for persons from racial, ethnic, cultural,
2.18linguistic, and tribal communities who experience disparities in access and outcomes;
2.19(3) identify human services rules or statutes affecting persons from racial, ethnic,
2.20cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities that may need to be revised;
2.21(4) investigate and implement cost-effective models of service delivery such as
2.22careful adaptation of clinically proven services that constitute one strategy for increasing
2.23the number of culturally relevant services available to currently underserved populations;
2.24(5) based on recommendations of the council, review identified department
2.25policies that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities, and make
2.26adjustments to ensure those disparities are not perpetuated; and
2.27(6) based on recommendations of the council, submit legislation to reduce disparities
2.28affecting racial and ethnic groups, increase access to programs, and promote better
2.29outcomes.
2.30(b) The commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee shall
2.31consult with the council and receive recommendations from the council when meeting
2.32the requirements of this section.
2.33 Subd. 4. Duties of council. The Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership
2.34Council shall:
2.35(1) recommend to the commissioner for review identified policies in the Department
2.36of Human Services that maintain racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal disparities;
3.1(2) identify issues regarding disparities by engaging diverse populations in human
3.2services programs;
3.3(3) engage in mutual learning essential for achieving human services parity and
3.4optimal wellness for service recipients;
3.5(4) raise awareness about human services disparities to the legislature and media;
3.6(5) provide technical assistance and consultation support to counties, private
3.7nonprofit agencies, and other service providers to build their capacity to provide equitable
3.8human services for persons from racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and tribal communities
3.9who experience disparities in access and outcomes;
3.10(6) provide technical assistance to promote statewide development of culturally
3.11and linguistically appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services and related
3.12policies;
3.13(7) provide training and outreach to facilitate access to culturally and linguistically
3.14appropriate, accessible, and cost-effective human services to prevent disparities;
3.15(8) facilitate culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive admissions, continued
3.16services, discharges, and utilization review for human services agencies and institutions;
3.17(9) form work groups to help carry out the duties of the council that include, but are
3.18not limited to, persons who provide and receive services and representatives of advocacy
3.19groups, and provide the work groups with clear guidelines, standardized parameters, and
3.20tasks for the work groups to accomplish; and
3.21(10) promote information-sharing in the human services community and statewide.
3.22 Subd. 5. Duties of council members. The members of the council shall:
3.23(1) attend and participate in scheduled meetings and be prepared by reviewing
3.24meeting notes;
3.25(2) maintain open communication channels with respective constituencies;
3.26(3) identify and communicate issues and risks that could impact the timely
3.27completion of tasks;
3.28(4) collaborate on disparity reduction efforts;
3.29(5) communicate updates of the council's work progress and status on the
3.30Department of Human Services Web site; and
3.31(6) participate in any activities the council or chair deem appropriate and necessary
3.32to facilitate the goals and duties of the council.
3.33 Subd. 6. Expiration. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the council does not expire
3.34unless directed by the commissioner.
