HF 796

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin A family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) grant
program is established to promote childrena??s early literacy, healthy development, and
school readiness, and to foster community partnerships to promote childrena??s school
readiness. The commissioner of human services shall make grants available to fund:
community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes working with
FFN caregivers under subdivision 2, paragraph (a); and community-based partnerships to
implement early literacy programs under subdivision 2, paragraph (b).
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program components. new text end

new text begin (a)(1) Grants that the commissioner awards under
this section must be used by community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and
Indian tribes working with FFN caregivers in local communities, cultural communities,
and Indian tribes to:
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new text begin (i) provide training, support, and resources to FFN caregivers in order to improve
and promote childrena??s health, safety, nutrition, and school readiness;
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new text begin (ii) connect FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with appropriate community
resources that support the familiesa?? health, mental health, economic, and developmental
needs;
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new text begin (iii) connect FFN caregivers and childrena??s families to early childhood screening
programs and facilitate referrals where appropriate;
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new text begin (iv) provide FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with information about early
learning guidelines from the Departments of Human Services and Education;
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new text begin (v) provide FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with information about becoming
a licensed family child care provider; and
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new text begin (vi) provide FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with information about early
learning allowances and enrollment opportunities in high quality community-based
child-care and preschool programs.
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new text begin (2) Grants that the commissioner awards under paragraph (a) also may be used for:
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new text begin (i) health and safety and early learning kits for FFN caregivers;
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new text begin (ii) play-and-learn groups with FFN caregivers;
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new text begin (iii) culturally appropriate early childhood training for FFN caregivers;
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new text begin (iv) transportation for FFN caregivers and childrena??s families to school readiness
and other early childhood training activities;
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new text begin (v) other activities that promote school readiness;
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new text begin (vi) data collection and evaluation;
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new text begin (vii) staff outreach and outreach activities;
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new text begin (viii) translation needs; or
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new text begin (ix) administrative costs that equal up to 12 percent of the recipienta??s grant award.
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new text begin (b) Grants that the commissioner awards under this section also must be used to fund
partnerships among Minnesota public and regional library systems, community-based
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes to implement early literacy
programs in low-income communities, including tribal communities, to:
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new text begin (1) purchase and equip early childhood read-mobiles that provide FFN caregivers
and childrena??s families with books, training, and early literacy activities;
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new text begin (2) provide FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with translations of early
childhood books, training, and early literacy activities in native languages; or
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new text begin (3) provide FFN caregivers and childrena??s families with early literacy activities in
local libraries.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grant awards. new text end

new text begin Interested entities eligible to receive a grant under
this section may apply to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner
determines. The commissioner shall awards grants to eligible entities consistent with
the requirements of this section.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin The commissioner, in consultation with early childhood
care and education experts at the University of Minnesota, must evaluate the impact of
the grants under subdivision 2, paragraphs (a) and (b), on childrena??s school readiness and
submit a written report to the human services and education finance and policy committees
of the legislature by February 15, 2010.
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