Terms/policy

The terminology used to describe people with disabilities has changed over time. The Minnesota Department of Human Services ("Department") supports the use of "People First" language. Although outmoded and offensive terms might be found within documents on the Department's website, the Department does not endorse these terms.

Information that is transmitted by email over the Internet is not secure and can be intercepted and read by other Internet users. The Department of Human Services recommends that you do not use email to send us private or confidential data about yourself or others unless it has been encoded or encrypted. 

In addition, the department will not use email to transmit responses that contain private or confidential data on an individual unless it can ensure the security and integrity of the information or it has the individual's consent to transmit such unsecured data.

Materials on the Department of Human Services’ website are designed to provide useful information to the public, but are not intended to be definitive, official documents of department policy. If there are differences between the website version of a document and the hard copy version in the department’s Central Office files, the hard copy version should be considered the correct one. Official documents of the department are maintained at the agency’s Central Office. Information about contacting DHS is available online.

We provide links to websites of other public and some private organizations as a service for our users. We do not endorse the accuracy, completeness, adequacy, accessibility or usefulness of those sites.

The department’s website is not intended to be a comprehensive collection of all related sites on the Internet. The sites referenced on the department’s website are only a few of the many possible Internet sites related to the department’s programs or to human services in general.

All of the information and documents on the DHS website are in the public domain. A website seeking to link to a DHS document should not host the document on its site but should link directly to the document. DHS documents, including forms and brochures, change frequently. More information about eDocs, DHS' online document repository, is online. Any website that links to the DHS website should not imply that the state of Minnesota is endorsing any product or service.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services’ website is maintained by department staff. This website is designed to offer Minnesota citizens and businesses easy and efficient access to state government resources. The department appreciates that many visitors to the department's website are concerned about accessibility to digital government. DHS makes every effort to have its website meet the state of Minnesota technology accessibility standard (PDF). 

The information in this website is available in other formats to people with disabilities by contacting the DHS Communications Office. This information is available in accessible formats for people with disabilities by calling 651-431-2911 or by using your preferred relay service. For other information on disability rights and protections, contact the agency’s ADA coordinator.

The Department of Human Services’ website is intended as a resource and guide for the public. It is not a source of definitive legal advice about specific legal problems.

News from DHS is a monthly compilation of news items from the Minnesota Department of Human Services website that is emailed as a service to those who subscribe. News items in News from DHS are not considered official notices but are provided as a courtesy for subscribers. Signing up for News from DHS does not affect any business relationship you might have with DHS. 

In compliance with state data privacy law Minnesota Statutes Section 13.356 (Personal Contact and Online Account Information), DHS provides notice that the following data provided to DHS is private:

A subscriber's telephone number; email address; and (3) Internet user name, password, Internet protocol address, and any other similar data related to an individual subscriber's online account or access procedures.

Furthermore, data provided under paragraph (a) may only be used for the specific purpose for which the individual provided the data. 

Additionally, DHS shall not market or sell the list of businesses that subscribe or their email addresses.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is dedicated to preserving your privacy and security while viewing the DHS website at mn.gov/dhs. The department strives to retrieve the minimum amount of information necessary from its website visitors in order to provide a host of various services and resources. The department does not capture personal information without visitors' permission.

Anonymous visitor information collection 

For every visitor to the DHS site, there are several common pieces of information that the department does collect that are stored in logs. Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, operating system, the date and time of the visit and the addresses to which a visitor linked during a visit to the DHS website are all recorded. DHS cannot and does not associate any of this information with individuals, distribute this information or use it in any manner other than for statistical analysis in improving the department’s site to better serve DHS website visitors.

Use of cookies 

DHS does not use cookies to record any personal information. Cookies are used only to track if you are a first-time visitor to the department’s website or if you have visited the DHS website in the past.

Disclosure of information 

The department does not sell, rent or publish any of the DHS website visitors' personal or private information. The department does not reveal specific information about subscribers or other personally identifiable data to unaffiliated third parties for their independent use. In addition, DHS endeavors to restrict employee access to any personal information except where necessary to perform required duties.

Discrimination is against the law, and the Department of Human Services prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation in human services. The Civil Rights Policy and Complaint Procedure applies to all aspects of the department's services—such as access, eligibility, intake and treatment—and extends to recipients, sub-recipients, contractors and vendors receiving state or federal human services funding.  

If you are applying for or receiving human services benefits or are seeking access to programs, benefits or information, you have the right to file a complaint if you believe you have been treated differently due to age, color, creed, disability, familial status, gender identity, marital status, national origin, public assistance status, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation (protections may vary by program). To file a complaint, complete the Civil Rights Complaint Form: Discrimination in Service Delivery. This form is also available in Arabic, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.  

Complaints related to SNAP (food assistance), Child Protective Services, child support, child care, and the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) are managed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). For more information or to file a complaint, please visit the DCYF website and reference the USDA Nondiscrimination Statement.