Minnesota Agencies
Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions
Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library
Foster Care and Adoption Advisory Task Force
Also known as:
Minority Advisory Task Force on Foster Care and Adoption
Active dates:1983-1986
Function: The commissioner of public welfare shall establish a foster care and adoption advisory task force to advise the commissioner on foster care and adoption policy regarding children of minority racial or minority ethnic heritage.
The task force was also asked to identify needed policy changes by monitoring the implementation of Chapter 278 and identifying issues arising from implementing the Act and its provisions on recordkeeping, licensing, and adoption and foster care rule changes.
History:
In 1983, the Minnesota Legislature became the first legislative body in the country to adopt specific statutory language to clarify adoption and foster care policy on the placement of minority children. Commonly referred to as the Minority Child Heritage Protection Act or the Minority Child Heritage Preservation Act, the law established an order of preference for placement of minority children. Relatives were given priority, followed by adults who shared the same racial or ethnic heritage as the child. The original bill (Senate File 723) as passed can be found in its entirety in the Laws of Minnesota 1983, chapter 278.
The task force was required by statute to expire on June 30, 1985.
For more on Minnesota legislation related to foster care and adoption policy regarding children of minority racial or minority ethnic heritage, please see the MN Legislative Library's guide "Resources on Minnesota Issues: Minnesota Minority Child Heritage Protection Act"
Membership:
Legislative members: Senator Linda Berglin (D.-Mpls.) and Representative Randy Staten (D.-Mpls.).
Task force members shall serve on a voluntary basis.
Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
Documents/Articles:
News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1983.
Record last updated:
03/13/2014
All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These
materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.