Purpose

This bill aims to expand and fund mental health services in Minnesota by creating and supporting several grant programs for adults and children. It also targets services in areas most affected by a specific Homeland Security surge (Operation Metro Surge). The overall goal is to increase access to culturally responsive care, improve crisis responses, and strengthen school- and community-based mental health supports. It would authorize new grants, set priorities for funding, and provide one-time appropriations through 2029 with reporting requirements for recipients.

Main Provisions

• Grant programs funded under existing mental health statutes:

  • Mental health crisis services
  • Housing with supports for adults with serious mental illness
  • Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
  • Plus additional eligible activities such as education, outreach, early identification, outpatient services, CSP (community support programs), ACT (assertive community treatment), housing subsidies, basic living skills, emergency response services, and culturally specific or culturally responsive services. This includes adult mobile crisis services and protected transport for crisis teams.

• Expanded services for children and families:

  • Services for children with mental illness and their families
  • Transition services for young adults up to age 21 and their families
  • Respite care for children at risk of residential treatment or hospitalization
  • Crisis services for children and youth
  • Mobile response and stabilization services models for children, youth, and families
  • Culturally specific or culturally responsive child mental health services
  • School-linked mental health services
  • Building capacity for evidence-based practices
  • Transition-age services for adolescents and young adults 26 and under
  • Early childhood mental health consultation
  • Public awareness campaigns on signs and symptoms of psychosis
  • Pediatric psychiatric consultation for primary care
  • Startup grants for new children’s mental health programs, including services for youth at risk of first-episode psychosis or early bipolar disorder

• Grant requirements and design:

  • Programs should help children stay with their families and function in the community per each child’s treatment plan.
  • Transition services for young adults should promote independent living.
  • Grantees must seek all available third-party reimbursement when possible.
  • The state may pilot expanded mobile response and stabilization for children, youth, and families, including outcomes measurement and potential Medicaid state plan amendments to scale the model statewide.

• Funding and administration:

  • Sec. 3: A one-time general fund appropriation in fiscal year 2027 for adult mobile crisis services grants, with priority given to counties, adult mental health initiatives, and Tribes in areas affected by Operation Metro Surge. Recipients must report how funds are used; funds available through June 30, 2029.
  • Sec. 4: A one-time general fund appropriation in fiscal year 2027 for school-linked behavioral health grants, prioritizing districts or schools with rising student absences or online enrollment since 2025 related to Operation Metro Surge. Data sharing with the Department of Education may be used to determine priority. Available through June 30, 2029.
  • Sec. 5 and Sec. 6: One-time appropriations for culturally specific or culturally responsive adult and children’s mental health grants, respectively. Priorities include geographic areas most impacted by Operation Metro Surge, trauma-related experience, commitment to health equity, and community involvement. Grantees must meet standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services, employ a significant portion of staff from the target community, and report fund use. Funds available through June 30, 2029.

• Reporting and accountability:

  • Grantees must report to the Commissioner on fund usage in the format required.
  • The Commissioner may request data-sharing with other state agencies (e.g., Education) to determine funding priorities.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands and specifies eligible grant programs for adult and children’s mental health services beyond existing categories.
• Creates new or expanded funding streams specifically for:
  • Mobile crisis services (including transport)
  • School-linked mental health services
  • Culturally specific or culturally responsive services for both adults and children
• Adds targeted geographic and trauma-informed criteria tied to Operation Metro Surge for prioritizing grants.
• Introduces pilot programs to expand mobile response and stabilization for children, youth, and families, with potential Medicaid scaling.

Implementation Notes and Focus Areas

• Emphasis on culturally responsive care and health equity.
• Strong focus on trauma-related care and ACEs (adverse childhood experiences).
• Collaboration with schools and the Department of Education to address attendance and online learning trends linked to the surge area.
• Temporary, one-time funding tied to a multi-year plan (through 2029) to establish programs and measure outcomes.

Relevant Terms - mental health crisis services - housing with supports for adults with serious mental illness - PATH program - community education and prevention - client outreach - early identification and intervention - adult outpatient diagnostic assessment - adult outpatient psychotherapy - CSP (community support program) - ACT (assertive community treatment) - housing subsidies - protective transport / mobile crisis services - adult mobile crisis services - adult mental health - culturally specific or culturally responsive services - culturally responsive adult mental health treatment - culturally specific or culturally responsive children’s mental health services - children’s mental health crisis services - school-linked mental health services - transition age services (adolescents and young adults ≤26) - respite care for children - mobile response and stabilization services (children, youth, families) - trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder - adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - health equity - data sharing with Department of Education - Operation Metro Surge (Homeland Security) - geographic targeting / areas most impacted - startup grants for new programs - third-party reimbursement - Medicaid state plan amendment (possible) - reporting requirements - one-time appropriations - evaluation and measurable outcomes