Monthly news digest from the Department of Human Services



Minnesota Department of Human Services logo [ [link removed] ]



NEWS FROM DHS



*April 2025*




*News from DHS archive [ [link removed] ]*





In this issue:

* Governor Walz holds roundtable on proposed federal health care cuts [ #link_3 ]
* State-operated health system earns performance improvement awards [ #link_4 ]
* State dashboard allows Minnesotans to track federal funding cuts [ #link_1 ]
* In social media: Minnesota Care Force Incentive program update [ #link_5 ]
* Opportunities to provide input on draft child care standards [ #link_2 ]
* In the news [ #link_6 ]

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Governor Walz holds roundtable on proposed federal health care cuts
Governor Walz speaking at Medicaid roundtable in Bloomington April 2025

Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison joined state officials, doctors and advocates in Bloomington on April 15 to discuss the impact of proposed federal cuts to vital health care programs. It was the sixth in a series of statewide roundtables about the potential cuts.

Changes proposed in the U.S. Congress to Medicaid and health care funding could result in $880 billion in cuts to health care programing benefiting 1.3 million Minnesotans. State estimates show that Minnesota could lose as much as $1.6 billion annually in federal support for programs serving a wide swath of Minnesotans.

“Medicaid pays for life-saving medication, cancer treatment, child well-checks, and supportive care,” said Governor Walz in a news release [ [link removed] ]. "Cuts to this funding would put hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans’ lives at risk, disproportionately impacting kids, seniors, people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas.”

State Medicaid Director John Connolly said, “The proposed $880 billion target is not just an abstract figure. It represents a direct threat to the health and well-being of countless Minnesotans and the stability of our health care system.” 

State officials, local providers and advocates also held roundtable discussions in Duluth [ [link removed] ], Mankato [ [link removed] ], Moorhead [ [link removed] ], Rochester [ [link removed] ], St. Cloud [ [link removed] ] and St. Paul [ [link removed] ] in March and April.

Minnesota's Medicaid program is called Medical Assistance. For more about the impact of Medicaid in Minnesota, visit mn.gov/dhs/medicaid-matters [ [link removed] ].

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State-operated health system earns performance improvement awards
Direct Care and Treatment leaders and staff at awards ceremony

The Direct Care and Treatment Administration has been recognized by the Performance Excellence Network (PEN) for its commitment to high-quality operations and continuous improvement. 

Five divisions within the DHS-operated health care system received Performance Excellence Awards in April.


* Ambulatory Services, Community Based Services, Forensic Services and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program each were honored with an engagement level award.
* Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services received an advancement level award.

Executive directors and key staff from each service line were on hand to receive the awards.

DCT is midway through implementing a rigorous quality and performance improvement process known as the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The Performance Excellence Awards recognize the progress made so far.

“None of the improvements that we’ve made so far have happened by accident,” said DHS Health System CEO Marshall Smith. “They’ve come through critical self-examination, planning and hard work.”

This health care system includes psychiatric hospitals and other inpatient mental health treatment facilities; inpatient substance abuse treatment facilities; dental clinics, group homes, vocational sites, and sex offender treatment facilities. In all, DHS delivers these services at about 200 sites statewide.

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State dashboard allows Minnesotans to track federal funding cuts
Federal funding cuts and disruptions to Minnesota services as of May 1, 2025

Governor Tim Walz announced in early April a new dashboard Minnesotans can use to track disruptions and cancellations of federal funding and their impact on services available to Minnesotans. 

Some disruptions are short-lived. Other grants and awards are abruptly canceled altogether. 

The dashboard is updated each weekday as funding disruptions and cancellations occur, as well as funding restored by court orders.

Stay in the know at mn.gov/mmb/budget/federal-investments/data-and-reporting [ [link removed] ].

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In social media: Minnesota Care Force Incentive program update
Minnesota Care Force Incentive program update posted on DHS social media

">> Follow DHS on X (formerly Twitter) [ [link removed] ] and Facebook [ [link removed] ] f"or timely updates on DHS news and events.""

">> For announcements of hiring events, job postings, internships and more, follow us on LinkedIn [ [link removed] ] and the "DHS Careers Facebook page [ [link removed] ].""

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Accessible formats

For accessible formats of this publication, write to [email protected], or call 651-431-2000 or use your preferred relay service.




Opportunities to provide input on draft child care standards
child care AS_24674530

Child care providers, parents and other interested community members are encouraged to participate in upcoming virtual workshops or regional in-person sessions on the second draft of revised child care licensing standards.

DHS, in partnership with the Minnesota Initiative Foundations, is hosting the sessions scheduled throughout May and June to gather public feedback by June 30, 2025.

Dates, locations and registration details are in a DHS public engagement announcement [ [link removed] ]. 

In February, DHS released the second draft of revised licensing standards for child care centers (PDF) [ [link removed] ] and family child care (PDF) [ [link removed] ] programs in February.

Recordings of informational sessions held in February are available on the DHS YouTube channel [ [link removed] ].

More details, including high-level summaries of significant changes made in the second drafts, are on the DHS website [ [link removed] ].

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In the news
newspaper beside a coffee cup

*Medicaid puzzle confronts Minnesota lawmakers. Federal cuts could hit health safety net program.* Living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, St. Cloud resident Keith Piskur has learned to concisely tell people all the ways that Medicaid helps him live his life. He spoke at a recent roundtable in St. Cloud. It’s part of a series put together by DHS as state and local health officials prepare for potential federal cuts to Medicaid. Learn more in an MPR News article [ [link removed] ].

*Minnesotans speak out against proposed Medicaid cuts. *State * l*eaders held a roundtable discussion in Mankato, one of several outreach events around the state, allowing Minnesotans like Jason Bennett to share their stories with industry leaders and elected officials, making their case for why programs like Medicaid are worth protecting. Learn more in a KEYC-TV report [ [link removed] ]. 

[ [link removed] ]*St. Paul nonprofit’s new hub for families facing homelessness: *A former hotel is given a new life as a hub for families facing homelessness. Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul will use the building to house working families and provide wraparound services, such as supports for mental health, child welfare and disabilities. The purchase was partly funded by $6 million administered by DHS [ [link removed] ]. Learn more on KSTP [ [link removed] ] and the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder [ [link removed] ].

*Medicaid, Equity and Indigenous Health: A Path Forward for Minnesota: *DHS recently released the a report (PDF) [ [link removed] ] that furthers efforts to address racial inequities in health care. The report incorporates insights from urban and Tribal leaders as well as community members. Learn more in a Minnesota Family Physician magazine article [ [link removed] ].

*Does Minnesota check death records before issuing Medicaid payments?* Yes. While oversights occasionally happen, DHS reviews state death records to identify Medicaid enrollees who have passed away. Those found to be deceased are removed from the program. Learn more in a MinnPost fact brief [ [link removed] ].

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