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Board accepts $225,000 parent-leadership grant and $17,565 children's mental-health screening funding
Summary
Rice County agreed to accept a $225,000 Parent Leadership Training Institute grant (fiscal host for collaborative) and a $17,565 Department of Human Services children's mental-health screening grant to support screenings, assessments and referrals for youth.
The Rice County Board unanimously accepted two grants aimed at strengthening family leadership and children's behavioral-health screening.
Chris Salmon, child and family services, said the Rice County Family Services Collaborative was awarded $225,000 from the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to implement the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) curriculum through June 2028. Salmon said year one funding will be available once contracts are executed and that the three-year award totals $225,000; staff described the likely sequence as roughly $75,000 per year across three years to support curriculum cohorts, stipends for parent participants and barrier-reduction measures such as transportation and childcare assistance.
Kelsey Duffy, the collaborative's coordinator, summarized the PLTI program and said the National Parent Leadership Institute20partners with DCYF to provide a 20-week evidence-based curriculum that trains parents in community advocacy, problem solving and understanding local policy and budgets. Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) in Northfield will provide staff for coordination and grant management for the collaborative, Salmon said.
Salmon also presented and the board approved acceptance of a Department of Human Services behavioral-health administration grant for children's mental-health screening in the amount of $17,565 for the period Jan. 1 through June 30, 2027. Salmon said the grant funds screening, assessment, referrals, limited treatment and local collaborative work prioritizing uninsured and underinsured youth involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
What happens next: The county, as fiscal host for the PLTI award, will finalize contracts and coordinate program rollout with partners; child and family services and community corrections will use the mental-health screening grant to support assessments and limited services and track screenings for formula-based future funding.
Votes and motions: Both grant acceptances were moved, seconded and carried by the board on voice votes.
Context: Salmon said the PLTI grant aligns with the collaborative's 2024 community assessment, which identified social connection and authentic parent voice as programming gaps.
