On Monday, a group of us gathered at the Capitol to meet with key legislators about Minnesota’s child protection system.
We shared the stories of children in our families, clinics and neighborhoods who were abused or even killed. Ultimately, the child protection system failed them. We, as a state, failed them. The system needs to change.
Child protection has been a low priority at the Capitol for too long. More than two dozen children were killed as a result of maltreatment between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.
That’s one child killed every two weeks.
The following bills are a good start to addressing problems in the system:
- Establishing a Child Protection Advisory Council (HF 4727, SF 4761–Pinto/Mitchell)
- Removal of barriers for reporting child maltreatment (HF 4793/SF 4037–Nash/Mitchell)
- Improved mortality review for child fatalities (HF 4697/ SF 4877–Pinto/Mitchell)
We’ll continue to advocate for these and other bills through the end of the session. If you’d like to help, consider making a financial contribution or volunteering your time.