Subdivision 1. Formula for county staffing funds. (a) The commissioner shall allocate state funds appropriated under this section to each county board on a calendar year basis in an amount determined according to the following formula:

(1) 50 percent must be distributed on the basis of the child population residing in the county as determined by the most recent data of the state demographer;

(2) 25 percent must be distributed on the basis of the number of screened-in reports of child maltreatment under sections 626.556 and 626.5561, and in the county as determined by the most recent data of the commissioner; and

(3) 25 percent must be distributed on the basis of the number of open child protection case management cases in the county as determined by the most recent data of the commissioner.

(b) Notwithstanding this subdivision, no county shall be awarded an allocation of less than $75,000.

Subd. 2. Prohibition on supplanting existing funds. Funds received under this section must be used to address staffing for child protection or expand child protection services. Funds must not be used to supplant current county expenditures for these purposes.

Subd. 3. Payments. The commissioner shall make payments under this section to each county on or before July 10 of each year.

Subd. 4. County performance on child protection measures. The commissioner shall set child protection measures and standards. The commissioner shall require an underperforming county to demonstrate that the county designated sufficient funds and implemented a reasonable strategy to improve child protection performance, including the provision of a performance improvement plan and additional remedies identified by the commissioner. The commissioner may redirect up to 20 percent of a county's funds under this section toward the performance improvement plan. Sanctions under section 256M.20, subdivision 3, related to noncompliance with federal performance standards also apply.

History: 2015 c 71 art 1 s 46; 1Sp2019 c 9 art 1 s 21,22