County accepts MDH cannabis prevention grant and staff brief board on child-protection trends

Phil from Human Services/Public Health presented an MDH cannabis substance use prevention grant valued at $101,536 to fund prevention, brief interventions and education (grant period referenced as starting 09/01/2025; an end date line in the transcript appears to include a transcription error). He said staff will use a public-health nurse and other interventions to provide community education and prevention services; the board moved and approved acceptance of the grant.

Phil also presented child-protection data: types of investigations (facility investigations, family assessments), performance metrics including an indicator that staff reached 91% of identified persons for investigation in one metric, and a roughly 10% increase in out-of-home placements from 2023 to 2024. He said neglect (63%) and physical abuse (24%) make up the majority of cases and that parental drug use is a persistent factor in placements. Phil emphasized efforts to place children with relatives or kin (52 placements) and described foster care as a preferred permanency option. The board discussed staffing pressures and recruitment as part of the presentation.