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Counties and staff urge sustained DCYF operating funds as SSIS modernization gets $40 million
Summary
County leaders and state employee union representatives told the Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee that the DE1 appropriation for SSIS modernization is necessary but must be paired with sustained operating and transition funding for DCYF implementation.
County officials, social-services associations and union representatives used the committee hearing to press for sustained operating and transition funding for the new Department of Children, Youth and Families and to support the SSIS modernization appropriation included in the DE1.
Dakota County Commissioner Lori Halverson, speaking for the Association of Minnesota Counties and Minnesota Intercounty Association, said counties are currently compensating for obsolete systems and that the $40,000,000 House appropriation would help address long-standing technology shortfalls. "We have staff that are working on systems that were built in 1989 and the workarounds are taking staff away from serving families," Halverson said.
The Minnesota Association of County Human Service Social Services Administrators (MACSSA) also praised provisions that authorize a child welfare response for school-absence referrals and reiterated operational concerns around relative licensing, administrative fees, and timelines for case-plan documentation.
Union representatives from MAPE urged the committee to fund operating adjustments beyond the 2026–27 biennium, warning that failing to do so will make it difficult to retain experienced staff responsible for internal controls and program integrity during a transition.
Nut graf: stakeholders agree on the need for technology investments but differ with the DE1 on whether one‑time appropriations are sufficient; several groups asked lawmakers to ensure operating and transition funds are available through implementation.
Details
- Counties reported that staff spend significant time on redundant data entry because older systems do not interoperate; several witnesses said modernization would increase efficiency and accuracy.
- MACSSA and county staff called for clearer rules about private providers charging administrative fees, and for careful sequencing of case-plan summaries to align with court timelines.
- The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) expressed concern that the DE1 reduces reallocation of DCYF transition account funds compared with the governor’s request and urged restoration of transition and operating funds to avoid program integrity risks.
What lawmakers said
Committee leaders indicated they would weigh county and agency implementation concerns during the markup. Staff emphasized that the committee’s SSIS appropriation is intended to complement prior appropriations and to support a modernization plan, but members and witnesses warned that ongoing operating funds are necessary to sustain gains from the capital investment.
Ending: Counties and unions asked the committee to reconcile short-term appropriations with the long-term operating needs required to implement SSIS and other DCYF responsibilities; the committee scheduled a follow-up markup for the next day.
