About DHS

The Minnesota Department of Human Services provides Minnesotans with a variety of services intended to help people live as independently as possible.

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Who we are

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is an organization of individuals with a commitment to bettering the lives of Minnesotans. While DHS employees perform different jobs and duties, such as research-analyses, direct caregiving, program administration, fraud prevention, licensing oversight, plant management and human resources, we share a belief that when Minnesotans help other Minnesotans, we create a brighter future for all of us. 

Meet one of our employees:

Employee Spotlight: Molly Crawford recognized for collaborative leadership

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Molly Crawford, paternity program administrator in the Child Support Enforcement Division, was named “Member of the Year” by the Minnesota Fathers and Families Network (MFFN) at the organization’s annual meeting, held Jan. 23 to 24 in St. Cloud. The award recognized Crawford’s 12 years of volunteer work with MFFN, which enhances healthy father-child and family relationships by promoting initiatives that inform public policy and further develop the field of fatherhood practitioners statewide.

In making the award, the Minnesota Fathers and Families Network applauded Crawford’s organizational and tactical leadership, which has emphasized building collaborative working relationships with child support agencies, workforce centers and children’s advocacy organizations. The award cited her service as both vice president and as chairperson of MFFN’s volunteer board of directors, as well as spearheading a youth art contest, which invited children and youth to create father-focused artwork in 2009. Crawford chaired MFFN’s first formal fundraiser in 2010, and has co-chaired the organization’s annual January conference for the past three years.

As part of the award presentation, MFFN called Crawford “a passionate promoter of fatherhood issues, who does everything she can to help fathers and families be successful.”

Crawford has worked in state government since 1997, and at DHS since 2007. Her work focuses on establishing paternity for Minnesota’s children born to unmarried parents.