In 2015 the Governor’s Child Protection Task Force raised concerns that Minnesota counties only screened in 29% of maltreatment reports for an in-person visit – either an assessment or investigation – compared with 62% nationally. It urged the Department of Human Services (DHS) to routinely report total maltreatment reports and numbers screened in by county.
Recently DHS finally produced this report. While it appears responsive to the recommendation, it is nearly inaccessible on the website and uses data too dated for evaluating current circumstances.
Most importantly, it doesn’t address the main objective: to disclose the percentage of maltreatment calls counties are responding to.
This delayed, minimally accommodating product is typical of the Department’s resistance to change. It unfortunately invites legislation forcing DHS to implement this and the other recommended reforms.