Children's Services

Adoption

Beltrami County Health and Human Services adoption program primarily works with children who have been involved with the child protection system. Our initial goal is to reunify children with their biological parents. In the event that this does not/cannot occur and there are no relatives able/appropriate to make a long term commitment to the child(ren), the parents’ rights to the child(ren) are terminated and the child(ren) becomes a State Ward. The agency then seeks out a permanent family for the child through adoption. It is our goal to match the child with a family that is best able to meet the child’s individual needs and personality.

Children who need adoptive homes range in ages from birth to 18. Most children we work with are school age and have experienced emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse. Some children have learning disabilities or developmental delays, are a sibling group to be adopted together, have had prenatal exposure to drugs and/or alcohol or may struggle with emotional/behavioral problems related to their experiences and who may require extra patience and care from

To begin the process of becoming an adoptive parent to a special needs child, you will need to complete a home study. Beltrami County Health and Human Services participates in the Public/Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI) program. Through this initiative, the Minnesota Department of Human Services contracts with private adoption agencies to complete home studies for families interested in adopting children through the child welfare system. For further information about this type of adoption and to begin the home study process, please contact a private agency participating in PPAI . A list of these agencies can be found at MN Adopt. Costs associated with the adoption for Minnesota’s Waiting Children are paid for or reimbursed by the MN Department of Human Services.

Application to apply for Adoption and Child Foster Care Provider Services

Adoption and Foster Care Individual Fact Sheet

Child Placement and Respite Care Services

At times it becomes necessary for social services to intervene in families where circumstances require the placements of children. Child placement is the last resort and is looked at only when children’s safety is at significant risk or in the case where a juvenile has exhibited criminal behavior and requires placement.

Placement options when necessary are based upon the least restrictive environment and options considered are as follows: Relative placement, county foster homes, and therapeutic foster homes, group settings including group homes, shelters, and both correctional and therapeutic treatment facilities.

Respite care is offered on a limited basis to children with serious emotional disturbances and in situations where short term respite care may reduce the risk of maltreatment or the need for longer term foster placement.

Child Protection

Beltrami County Social Services is responsible for screening, assessing and investigating reports of child maltreatment (Beltrami County Child Maltreatment Screening Guidelines) and providing ongoing case management services. Once a report is screened in there are two investigative responses.

Investigative: Investigations are designed to respond to reports of substantial child endangerment and neglect of children. Reports of child maltreatment that allege substantial child endangerment must receive an investigation. “Investigation” means fact gathering related to the current safety of the child and the risk of subsequent maltreatment that determines whether child maltreatment occurred and whether child protective services are needed. M.S. 626.556 subd. 2.

Family Assessment: Reports not involving substantial child maltreatment may be assigned as a family assessment. A “family Assessment” means a comprehensive assessment of child safety, risk of subsequent child maltreatment and the family’s strengths and needs as applied to a child maltreatment report that does not allege substantial child endangerment. Family assessment does not include a determination as to whether child maltreatment occurred but does determine the need to address the safety of family members and the risk of subsequent maltreatment. M.S. 626.556, subd. 1.

If services are determined to be necessary Child Protection case management would be offered either on a voluntary or non-voluntary basis depending upon the needs of the family and severity of the problems facing the family. Case management services consist of:

1. Information and Referral services: Providing information on available services and assisting the setting up of services for the family.

2. Identification of Strengths and Needs: through ongoing assessment the case manager works with the family to identify the strengths and needs of the family and set ongoing goals that will enhance the family’s strengths while addressing the ongoing needs of the family.

3. Maintenance of Records: Beltrami will maintain both digital and hard copy records per state statute.

Make a Child Protection Maltreatment Report

Children's Mental Health

Beltrami Area Service Collaborative contracts with Beltrami County Health and Human Services and works with local mental health providers, government agencies, schools, and primary care to provide prevention and intervention services to children in need of mental health support.

All children have both physical health needs and mental health needs. It is sometimes hard for parents to know if a behavior is normal or may be a deeper problem.

Anger, fear, sadness, withdrawal, or opposition to authority are emotions felt and expressed by most children and adolescents. The disturbed child or adolescent displays negative behavior with greater intensity, more often, and with less reason. Behaviors which may point to deeper problems include:

1. Acting out behavior (self-abusive, aggressive, violent, disruptive, or cruel)

2. Withdrawing behavior (fears, depression, anxiety, refusing to talk, acting younger than age)

3. Defensive behavior (lying, cheating, manipulating others, avoiding others)

4. Disorganized behavior (out of touch with reality, seeing or hearing things that are not there, disconnected thinking or acting)

5. Eating disorders (poor body image, preoccupation with weight loss, self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives or diuretics)

The “Minnesota Comprehensive Children’s Mental Health Act” recognized that children do not always get the services they need. Beltrami County Human Services Agency provides case management services to assist eligible children and their families. The case manager will assist in a referral for a diagnostic assessment to determine the child’s mental health needs. A team approach is used to coordinate the services provided by all persons who are involved in the care, counseling, education, and treatment of the child.

Parents will be expected to participate in developing a comprehensive plan based on the child’s and family’s unique strengths and needs. This plan will be reviewed on a regular basis to determine if the goals for the child are being met and if other services are needed.

Case management and family community support services are voluntary, and may be accepted or refused by parents. If these services are refused, other mental health services and community resources continue to be available to the family if desired.

A variety of services are available and MAY be provided based on the individual needs of the child and family. They include:

Individual Case Coordination and Case Management

Diagnostic Assessment and Evaluation

Psychological Testing

Educational Consultation and Individual Educational Planning

Family-Based Therapy

Respite Care Services

Crisis Assistance

Coordinated Treatment Planning

Advocacy for Child and Family

Financial Assistance Referrals

Court Intervention Services

Information and Referral

Parent Education

Medication Monitoring

Development of Independent Living Skills

Assistance with Leisure and Recreational Activities

Children or adolescents must be younger than 18 years of age, have a defined emotional or behavioral problem, and meet the criteria for having a severe emotional disturbance as determined by a mental health professional. Factors which determine eligibility include:

Severity of mental health needs

Past inpatient or residential treatment, or risk of needing such treatment in the future

Risk of child harming self or others

Symptoms as a result of physical or sexual abuse in the past year

Effects on the child’s functioning in the home, school, and community

For more information about specific children's mental health disorders, please visit:

Community Agencies

Minnesota Department of Human Services - Children's Mental Health

Minnesota Statutes 245.487 on Children's Mental Health

Family Preservation Services

Parent Support Outreach Programming in intended for families with children under ten years of age and combines aspects of general child welfare case management with and emphasis on parenting and development while addressing the immediate needs of the family as with many of our services some small financial help is available for addressing specific needs of the family

Child Welfare Case Management services on a voluntary basis. These services are designed to work with families in a variety of areas from parenting and development to housing, transportation and general household management. Child welfare case management often includes referral to other community services and is intended as a short term intervention that will have long term positive results.

Family Group Decision Making: Beltrami County offers Family Group Decision Making to families that are involved in both child protection and child welfare case management. This service involves locating family and friends of a child or family and involving them in the decision making process. The goal of this program is to create support systems that will help create a safe environment for the family and child that will remain intact long after Beltrami County involvement has ended.

First Steps to Healthy Babies: The goal is to help mothers/families to have a safe and healthy pregnancy to give babies the best start in life. All women have the power to have a healthy, sober pregnancy with the right support, education and services. First Steps to Healthy Babies program offers:

	Help starting prenatal care
	One-on-one visits during your prenatal appointments
	Home visits and case management
	Education and outreach
	Help setting goals to get you where you want to be and help you have a healthy baby
	Assistance with getting connected with area resources to help you get healthy, including advocacy, support, and transportation assistance for those who qualify

Call any of these locations to learn more or make an appointment:

	Beltrami County, Case Manager, Kami at 218-333-8313
	Red Lake Family & Children's Services, Jean at 218-679-1678
	Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, Ali at 218-333-6509 or Kellie at 218-333-5821
	Sanford Bemidji OB/GYN 218-333-5289

Child Care Licensing

Click Here to locate a licensed MN Family Child Care Provider in your area.

Become a Family Child Care Provider

Beltrami County is responsible for licensing family child care homes in the county. Providers who care for children from more than one family must be licensed. The county conducts orientations, background studies, home interviews, safety checks, recommends licensure, conducts investigations, and supports providers in meeting the health and safety needs of the children in the providers’ care.

To be licensed by Beltrami County the following must be completed:

	Attend Orientation Meeting
	Application Paperwork
	Background Check
	Training Requirements
	Home Visit by a Licensor
	Fire Inspection

Information Packets can be obtained by contacting the following County staff:

Michelle Voorhees
218-333-4269
email

Amber Fuller
218-333-8318
email

New applicants must complete the following pre-service training requirements prior to licensure:

	Child Growth & Development/Behavior Guidance (4 hours)
*	Supervising for Safety (6 hours)
	Pediatric CPR - must include hands on skills
	First Aide
*	SUID - Sudden Unexpected Infant Death
*	AHT - Abusive Head Trama
	Child Passenger Restraint (if transporting children under age 9)

*Department of Human Services approved trainings only. Trainings can be completed in person or online and can be accessed on the Develop website.

DEVELOP - Search and register for Minnesota Center for Professional Development approved training.

EAGER-TO-LEARN - Search and register for online trainings approved by the MN Center for Professional Development.

Minnesota Department of Human Services - Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Abusive Head Trauma SUID videos.

American Heart Association - CPR and first aid training.

Foster Care Licensing

Foster care homes are utilized when a child(ren) cannot live with their own families. Children typically enter foster care due to neglect, abuse, or a family crisis or the child’s acting out at home. Foster parents provide a safe, consistent, nurturing and stable living environment for these children until they can be safely returned to their families.

Beltrami County Health and Human Services licenses, monitors and supports foster families. The licensing process includes:

Adam Walsh Background Studies
Fire Marshal's Inspection
Orientation and Training
Well Water Testing
Home Study
Reference Checks, etc.

Requirements to be a licensed provider include:

Applicant(s) must be at least 21 years of age
Applicant(s) must reside in Beltrami County
Applicant(s) and adult household members must be free of chemical use problems for the past two years
Applicant(s) need to have sufficient income to meet their own needs
Applicant(s) and household members 13 years of age and over must pass a background check
Applicant(s) should be one year from a major life change such as a marriage, divorce, birth of a first child or a significant loss, etc.

Foster Care homes are licensed according to Minnesota laws. For more information, see the Minnesota Statutes, Session Laws and Rules (Child Foster Care Rule 2960.3000-2960.3300) or see the entire Human Services Licensing Act and search for Chapter 245 a.c.

If you are interested in becoming a foster family for a child or sibling group, please complete the following forms and submit to one of the licensors listed below:

Minnesota Adoption and Child Foster Care Application

Adoption and Foster Care Individual Fact Sheet for household members age 18 and over.

Background Data Collection Form for household members age 13 and over.