Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to support training in forensic interviewing by providing funding for scholarships. This is intended to help professionals involved in handling child maltreatment cases in Minnesota.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill proposes to allocate $250,000 in both fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund.
• Grant Distribution: These funds will be used for grants to organizations recognized for their forensic interview protocols.
• Scholarship Purpose: Scholarships funded by these grants will be used for:
  • Basic forensic interview training.
  • Advanced forensic interview training.
  • Training on specialized interview topics.

Eligibility for Scholarships

The bill specifies that scholarship recipients can include: - Individuals in law enforcement. - Child protection and prosecution professionals. - Health professionals involved in the investigation, treatment, and management of child maltreatment cases. - Forensic interviewers at children’s advocacy centers.

Significant Changes

This bill introduces financial support specifically earmarked for enhancing the skills of professionals involved in child protection and maltreatment cases through organized training programs.

Relevant Terms

forensic interview training, scholarships, child maltreatment, law enforcement, child protection, prosecution professionals, health professionals, children’s advocacy centers, fiscal year 2026, fiscal year 2027.