SF4845

Purpose

• The bill aims to modify the rules for Minnesota’s human services housing programs administered by the Department of Human Services. It expands what kinds of services can be funded under housing grants and adjusts eligibility criteria to help people who are homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, especially those with serious mental illness or substance use disorders.

Main Provisions

• Expands allowable activities for grants: Grantees must provide homeless outreach and case management services. Projects may also offer clinical assessment, habilitation and rehabilitation services, community mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, housing transition and sustaining services, or direct assistance funding.
• Target population: Services must be provided to individuals who have a serious mental illness, a substance use disorder, or both (co-occurring), and who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.
• Presumptive eligibility: People receiving homeless outreach services may be presumed eligible for these programs until a serious mental illness can be verified.
• Statutory changes and repeals: The bill repeals certain existing statutory sections (256D.09 subdivisions 2a and 2b; 256K.45 subdivision 2.1.8) and makes related amendments to several statutes governing housing and human services programs (e.g., sections 245.991, 245.992, 256D.05, 256D.06, 256D.54, 256I.04, 256K.46).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Broadens what housing-related grant funds can cover by explicitly authorizing a wide range of supportive services beyond basic housing, including clinical and mental health services and direct housing-related supports.
• Introduces or strengthens a presumptive eligibility approach for homeless outreach participants, potentially speeding access to services for those with suspected serious mental illness.
• Repeals specific older statutory provisions, which may remove or restructure certain housing program requirements and authorities.
• Aligns several statutes under a unified framework for housing support services overseen by the Department of Human Services.

Who Is Affected

• Individuals experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness.
• People with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, or both.
• Organizations that administer housing grants and the Department of Human Services, which oversees housing support services.

Relevant terms section will follow.

Relevant Terms homeless outreach, case management services, clinical assessment, habilitation, rehabilitation services, community mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, housing transition and sustaining services, direct assistance funding, serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorder (SUD), co-occurring, imminent risk of homelessness, presumed eligible, grantees, Minnesota Statutes, repeal, Department of Human Services, housing programs.