What happens if a Tribe isn’t interested in participating now, but later wants to?
The IAC-establishing statute (MN Statutes, Sec. 142A.045) provides that “[a] Tribal Nation may elect to participate at any time.”
The IAC charter will provide a simple process for a Tribal nation to elect to participate, as well as to discontinue participation at any time –all at the Tribe’s discretion.
There are 11 separate and sovereign Tribal Nations that share a geography with Minnesota. (The IAC does not substitute for the Tribal consultation process required under Minnesota Statutes, § 10.65.)
MN Statutes establish 87 counties in Minnesota and require counties to administer and fund in part a broad array of public welfare, healthcare, and related programs for children, youth, and families.
The majority of DCYF programs are State-supervised and county- and Tribal-administered.
Counties invest significant resources in providing services to Minnesota families, and in some key DCYF programs counties pay a greater share of costs than the State.
Many Tribal Nations administer human services programs (either in a direct relationship with the federal government or through the State).
Counties and Tribes employ the majority of the child and family services staff who administer human services programs.
The State, Tribal Nations, and counties share interests in administering programs in a manner that is effective, efficient, and gets the best outcomes possible for people served with public investments.
Therefore, in order for the effect on people we serve to be fully considered, State planning, design, administration, funding, and evaluation of services to children, youth, and families should be well-informed by:
Impacts on county and Tribal governments;
Learnings and experiences of county and Tribal governments in delivering services; and
How is the IAC different from the DCYF Implementation Intergovernmental Advisory Group that has already been in place?
Intergovernmental Advisory Committee
Members
Representatives from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families; interested Tribal Nations; the Association of Minnesota Counties; and the Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators.
Focus
Provide advice and recommendations to the Commissioner on planning, design, administration, funding, and evaluation of services for children, youth, and families.
Timeframe
Begins October 2025 and continues.
How established
Established in Minnesota Statutes, section 142A.045, following discussions among the Association of Minnesota Counties, the Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families Implementation Office, the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, and consultation with Tribal Nations.
Implementation Intergovernmental Advisory Group
Members
Representatives from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families; the Department of Human Services; the Association of Minnesota Counties; and the Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators.
Focus
Support implementation of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Timeframe
July 2023 to September 2025.
How established
Created during consideration of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families establishing legislation in the 2023 Legislature, following discussions among the Association of Minnesota Counties, the Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators, and the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet.
How does the IAC interact with existing advisory committees, tasks forces, and the like?
The DCYF IAC-establishing statute does not specifically address this.
The IAC can establish methods of coordinating or engaging on shared or related matters with any statutorily derived advisory committees, task forces, and boards.
The IAC can also establish methods of coordinating or engaging with DCYF-created committees, task forces, and boards.
Additionally, if a DCYF-created committee, workgroup, or task force is comprised of state, Tribal, and county representatives anda recommendation is determined, the IAC charter could provide for converting that group to a subcommittee of the IAC.
Specifically, how will the IAC impact the American Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council (AICWAC)?
AICWAC is established by MN Statutes, Sec. 260.835.
AICWAC and IAC could establish methods of coordinating or engaging on shared or related matters.
While the AICWAC is focused on formulating policies and procedures related to Indian child welfare services and related grants, the IAC is statutorily directed to engage more broadly around DCYF services to children, youth, and families.
DCYF has many program areas beyond Child Safety and Permanency Administration (family preservation, child protection, early intervention services, community resources centers, FFPSA/Kinship, Title IV-E, etc.) which interfaces with AICWAC; including:
Early Childhood Administration:childcare services, Help Me Connect, Head Start, Early Head Start, school readiness, etc.
Family Well-Being Administration:Tribal child support, paths to parenthood, economic assistance and employment support, TANF, MFIP, SNAP, etc.)
Economic Opportunity and Youth Services Administration: American Indian food sovereignty, emergency food distribution, CAP, food shelf, SNAP ed/outreach, food bank, youth justice, youth prevention title II, etc.
Is the IAC like or based on the MN Department of Health’s SCHSAC (State Community Health Services Advisory Committee)?
SCHSAC is a nonpartisan group of county commissioners, city council members, and local public health leaders from all regions of Minnesota. Members meet quarterly with the Commissioner of Health to discuss and give recommendations on public health-related issues that are important locally and statewide.
Similarly, IAC will create recommendations for the Commissioner of DCYF on matters related to DCYF programs.
The statute does not articulate a specific model or structure for the DCYF IAC; rather, it requires that it be co-developedamong DCYF, interested Tribal nations, AMC, and MACSSA.
As the interested parties develop DCYF’s IAC, they are starting with a clean slate, allowing for authentic co-development without a preconceived vision, and at the same time they are certainly reviewing and learning from experiences they’ve had with other advisory committees.
While there may be similarities between the IAC and SCHSAC, the IAC is not modeled after SCHSAC.
Tribes are sovereign nations. Why would they be at the same table as county governments –which are creations of the State of MN—in advising on and discussing DCYF matters?
The DCYF IAC will provide an opportunity to participate in a standing forum for discussion and provision of advice and recommendations on the planning, design, administration, funding, and evaluation of the continuum of services to children, youth, and families.
Even in the context of fundamental governance distinctions, counties and Tribal nations share some interests, including:
Provision of service and support to the same children, youth, and families.
Employment of the majority of the child and family services staff who administer human services programs in the State of MN.
Administration of programs in a manner that is effective, efficient, and gets the best outcomes possible for people served with public investments.
The IAC provides the added benefit of leveragingthose shared interests together.
