SF4456 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Culturally responsive adult mental health grants and children's mental health grants establishment and appropriation
Related bill: HF4351
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to expand Minnesota’s mental health support system by creating and funding specific grants that focus on adults and children, with an emphasis on culturally responsive services and trauma-informed care. It also targets resources to areas most affected by a named Homeland Security operation (Operation Metro Surge) and adds new funding streams for mobile crisis services and school-linked mental health services. The overarching goal is to increase access to a broad range of mental health services, better coordinate care, and address community trauma and health disparities.
Main Provisions
- Establishes three distinct grant programs funded under Minnesota Statutes:
- Mental health crisis services
- Housing with supports for adults with serious mental illness
- Projects for assistance in transitioning from homelessness (PATH)
- Eligible grant activities (adult and child-focused) include:
- Community education and prevention, outreach, early identification/intervention
- Outpatient services (diagnostic assessment, psychotherapy, medication management)
- Crisis response, mobile crisis services (including vehicle purchase/renovation)
- Community supports (housing subsidies, basic living skills, transportation)
- School-linked mental health services, youth and family-centered services
- Culturally specific or culturally responsive mental health services
- Adds a wide list of eligible services for children, including respite care, crisis services, mobile response models, prevention and treatment, transition-age services (up to age 26), and evidence-based practices.
- Requires grants to be designed to help children function in the community and stay with their families; transition services for young adults aim to foster independent living.
- Pilot program option for expanding mobile response and stabilization for children, youth, and families, with potential Medicaid state plan amendment.
- Adds a requirement that grantees pursue available third-party reimbursement where applicable.
Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Minnesota Statutes to broaden grant eligibility and service delivery
- Section on grants (245.4661) clarifies funded programs and eligible services, including adult and child services and culturally specific supports.
- Section on grants (245.4889) expands eligible grant recipients to counties, Indian tribes, children’s collaboratives, and various mental health providers.
- Integrates a comprehensive list of services for both adults and children, ranging from crisis and mobile services to school-based and culturally responsive options.
- Creates a framework for prioritizing funding in areas impacted by Operation Metro Surge and ties certain grant programs to trauma recovery and health equity.
- Establishes reporting, accountability, and coordination requirements, including data sharing and demonstration of evidence-based practices.
Funding and Appropriations
- Mobile Crisis Grants (Sec. 3)
- FY 2027 appropriation from the general fund for adult mobile crisis services grants.
- Priority given to counties, adult mental health initiatives, and Tribes in geographic areas most impacted by Operation Metro Surge.
- One-time funding, available through June 30, 2029; grantees must report use of funds.
- School-Linked Behavioral Health Grants (Sec. 4)
- FY 2027 general fund appropriation for school-linked behavioral health grants.
- Priority to grantees serving districts or schools with increased absences or online enrollment since December 2025 related to Metro Surge.
- Data sharing with the Department of Education to determine priority; on-time reporting required; one-time funding, available through June 30, 2029.
- Culturally Specific or Culturally Responsive Adult Mental Health Grants (Sec. 5)
- FY 2027 general fund appropriation.
- Priority to grantees in Metro Surge-impacted areas.
- Requirements emphasize addressing community trauma/PTSD, health equity, and community input; at least 50% of employees must be from the target community.
- Includes reporting requirements; one-time funding, available through June 30, 2029.
- Culturally Specific or Culturally Responsive Children’s Mental Health Grants (Sec. 6)
- FY 2027 general fund appropriation.
- Similar priorities and requirements as the adult grants, focusing on trauma in children and community involvement; also requires a minimum 50% of staff from the affected community and culturally responsive practices.
- One-time funding, available through June 30, 2029.
Implementation and Oversight
- Adds reporting requirements for all grants to monitor how funds are used.
- Encourages alignment with third-party reimbursement and potential Medicaid state plan amendments to sustain the programs.
- Emphasizes trauma-informed, culturally competent, and community-engaged service delivery, with explicit attention to health equity.
Significant Changes at a Glance
- Substantial expansion of grant programs and eligible services for both adults and children.
- Introduction of culturally specific/culturally responsive standards and workforce composition requirements (50% community representation).
- Targeted funding priorities for areas affected by Operation Metro Surge and Homeland Security concerns.
- Onetime funding windows through 2029 with reporting requirements to track outcomes and expenditures.
- New mobility and school-linked service pathways, plus a pilot to scale mobile crisis response statewide via Medicaid considerations.
Relevant Terms - Operation Metro Surge - United States Department of Homeland Security - mobile crisis services - crisis services - school-linked behavioral health - culturally specific / culturally responsive mental health - health equity - trauma and trauma-informed care - posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - transition age services (up to age 26) - respite care - community trauma - evidence-based practices - third-party reimbursement - Medicaid state plan amendment - housing with supports - PATH program (assistance in transitioning from homelessness) - counties, Indian tribes, children's collaboratives - reporting and accountability - one-time appropriation (through 2029)
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 17, 2026 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| March 17, 2026 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Health and Human Services |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Three distinct grant programs funded under this section: (1) mental health crisis services; (2) housing with supports for adults with serious mental illness; (3) projects for assistance in transitioning from homelessness (PATH).",
"Expanded list of eligible activities under the grants, including community education and prevention, client outreach, early identification and intervention, adult outpatient diagnostic assessment and psychological testing, peer support services, CSP, ACT, housing subsidies, basic living skills and community interventions, emergency response services, adult outpatient psychotherapy, adult outpatient medication management, adult mobile crisis services (including vehicle purchase/renovation for protected transport under section 256B.0625, subd. 17, paragraph (l), clause (6)), adult day treatment, partial hospitalization, adult residential treatment, adult mental health targeted case management and transportation, and culturally specific or culturally responsive adult mental health services."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Amends Minnesota Statutes 245.4661, subdivision 9 to authorize and fund multiple grant programs for mental health services, and to specify eligible activities under the grants.",
"modified": [
"Expands the scope of funded services and the range of grant programs under 245.4661 to support broader mental health service delivery."
]
},
"citation": "245.4661",
"subdivision": "9"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Eligibility expanded to counties, Indian tribes, children's collaboratives under section 142D.15 or 245.493, and mental health service providers.",
"Inclusion of a broad slate of services for children with mental illness and related supports, including transition services for young adults under age 21, respite care, children’s mental health crisis services, child/youth mobile response and stabilization services, culturally competent and trauma-informed services, school-linked mental health services (under section 245.4901), and related capacity-building activities."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Amends Minnesota Statutes 245.4889, subdivision 1 to broaden grant eligibility to more entities and to specify eligible services for children and youth.",
"modified": [
"Integrates cross-references to sections 142D.15 and 245.493, expanding the pool of eligible grantees and allowed services."
]
},
"citation": "245.4889",
"subdivision": "1"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Allowance for the purchase and renovation of vehicles by mobile crisis teams to provide protected transport under 256B.0625, subd. 17, paragraph (l), clause (6)."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Cross-references mobile crisis services to the transportation provisions in 256B.0625, enabling funded mobile crisis teams to purchase and renovate vehicles for protected transport.",
"modified": [
"Explicit linkage between mobile crisis services and transportation assets funded under existing transportation safeguards."
]
},
"citation": "256B.0625",
"subdivision": "17"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References to 245.4871, subdivision 15, defining children with mental illness for eligibility purposes under grant programs.",
"modified": [
"Uses the defined category of children with mental illness from 245.4871, subd. 15 to guide eligibility for related services and funding."
]
},
"citation": "245.4871",
"subdivision": "15"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Reference to transition services for young adults under section 245.4875, subdivision 8 as a component of eligible grant activities."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Incorporates transition services for young adults as part of grant activities.",
"modified": [
"Aligns grant offerings with transition-age needs by invoking 245.4875, subd. 8."
]
},
"citation": "245.4875",
"subdivision": "8"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Explicit cross-reference allowing grants to be awarded to entities operating under 142D.15."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Grant eligibility includes children's collaboratives under section 142D.15.",
"modified": [
"Expands eligibility by recognizing bodies governed under 142D.15 as potential grant recipients."
]
},
"citation": "142D.15",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Explicit cross-reference allowing grants to be awarded to entities operating under 245.493."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Grant eligibility includes organizations described in Minnesota Statutes 245.493.",
"modified": [
"Expands eligibility by recognizing 245.493 as a potential grant recipient."
]
},
"citation": "245.493",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Acknowledges 245.4901 as the statutory basis for school-linked behavioral health grants."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "School-linked behavioral health grants are anchored to Minnesota Statutes section 245.4901.",
"modified": [
"No substantive change to 245.4901 itself; uses it as the framework for school-linked grants."
]
},
"citation": "245.4901",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Explicit citation to 245.4661, subd. 9, para. (b), cl. (15) for the authority to award adult mobile crisis grants in Sec.3."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Sec.3 appropriation references 245.4661, subd. 9, para. (b), cl. (15) as the basis for adult mobile crisis grants.",
"modified": [
"Clarifies the exact statutory clause authorizing the grants under this appropriation."
]
},
"citation": "245.4661",
"subdivision": "9, paragraph (b), clause (15)"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Explicit citation to 245.4661, subd. 9, para. (b), cl. (21) for culturally specific adult mental health grants."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Sec.5 appropriation references 245.4661, subd. 9, para. (b), cl. (21) for culturally specific or culturally responsive adult mental health grants.",
"modified": [
"Identifies the clause authorizing culturally specific adult mental health grants within the appropriation."
]
},
"citation": "245.4661",
"subdivision": "9, paragraph (b), clause (21)"
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee