Behavioral Health Planning Council

• Review plans provided to the council by the state (pursuant to 42 U.S.C., Chapter 6A, Part B, Subpart I, §300x–4.(a) Review of State Plan by Mental Health Planning Council) and submit to the State any recommendations of the council for modifications to the plans.
• Serve as an advocate for adults with serious mental illness, children with severe emotional disturbance, other individuals with mental illnesses, and people experiencing or at risk of experiencing substance use disorder.
• Monitor, review and evaluate not less than once each year, the allocation and adequacy of mental health and substance use disorder programs and services within the state.
• Establish council bylaws, including group norms/values, leadership and decision-making structures.
• Represent council activities under the direction of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division, as needed.

In addition, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division looks to the Behavioral Health Planning Council to:

• Inform DHS about issues at the local level.
• Point out structural gaps in the system and identify barriers in the delivery of services to communities.
• Consult on policy development: DHS will share what they are planning and ask for the council’s feedback.
• Offer insights for consideration on effective measures and themes/issues DHS should consider in its work.

The Behavioral Health Planning Council is composed of residents of the State of Minnesota, including representatives of the principle State agencies with respect to: mental health, education, vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, housing, and social services. Minnesota seeks balanced representation for mental health and substance use/misuse experiences for each federally required seat in the council. A minimum of 50 percent of council members are people who are not State employees or providers of mental health services. Bylaws of the council (PDF). 

Current BHPC Members

The Minnesota Behavioral Health Planning Council meetings are the first Monday, every other month, from 1pm-3pm via WebEx. All meetings are open to the public and guests are encouraged to attend.

• Join meeting via WebEx or by phone 1-855-282-6330
• Meeting access code: 1461 39 6681
• Meeting password: D7Jj2QJnb37

2021 Meeting Dates

Date: December 6, 2021
Location: WebEx Only

Date: October 4, 2021
Location: WebEx Only

Date: August 9, 2021 – ad hoc meeting to prepare for federal block grant input
Location: WebEx Only

Date: August 2, 2021
Location: WebEx Only

Date: July 12, 2021 (ad hoc meeting to prepare for federal block grant input)
Location: WebEx Only

Date: June 7, 2021
Location: WebEx Only

Date: April 5, 2021 - Cancelled

Date: February 1, 2021
Location: WebEx Only

Vision

All Minnesotans, wherever they live, experience optimal health and well-being because of a fully integrated health care system that promotes:

• Full acceptance of what health and wellness mean to each resident, including physical condition, housing, food, security, social connections, community belonging, etc.;
• Full access in all locations, communities, tribal reservations, cultures, and languages;
• Full focus on prevention and continuum of care availability at the local level and inclusive of all generations;
• Full and informed choice for each person—i.e., the person chooses based on complete information about the range and implications of choices, not a social worker or case manager making choices for the person;
• Full collaboration of providers, programs, and organizations;
• Full integration into community, including community traditions and culture;
• Local staff will largely reflect the community and culture, and make use of common or traditional community resources.

Core Values

We value:

• A focus on the client and their community: We amplify client and community voices to transform mental health and substance use disorder programs, services, and processes and to create more responsive and effective care.
• Full and equitable opportunities for wellbeing: We apply an equity lens to support and maintain access, cultural relevancy, fairness, innovation, and systems accountability.
• Inquisitiveness and open-mindedness: We support each other’s curiosity, learn from and trust each other’s expertise, and are willing to be in ambiguity.
• Authentic relationships: We assume the best about each other; listen with humility and compassion; act with transparency; and recognize and build on each other’s strengths.
• Positive impacts: We are committed to ensuring positive impacts in the well-being of Minnesota residents, its communities, and the state as a whole.

• BHPC Fact Sheet (PDF)
• What are Federal Block Grants (PDF)
• Federal Block Grant Overview (PDF)

More information on SAMHSA guidance to states

• Best Practices for State Behavioral Health Planning Councils: The Road to Planning Council Integration,” Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. for the Center for Mental Health Services (2014) (PDF)
• SAMHSA/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Center for Integrated Health Care Solutions

• Behavioral Health Planning Council 2019 Letter of Recommendations (PDF)

To view Minnesota’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant Assessment, Plan and Annual Report use the following information

• Link to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grants: https://bgas.samhsa.gov/
• Username: citizenmn
• Password: citizen

To View Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant Applications, Plans and Reports

• Click on "View an Existing Application“
• Click on the “Mental Health Block Grant or Substance Abuse Block Grant”
• Click on the “Report,” or “Application” that you want to view

Public Comments

States are required to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Combined Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant plan during:

• Development of the plan
• After submission of the plan to SAMHSA

Plan must be public to facilitate comments from any person including:

• Federal
• Tribal
• Other public agencies

If you have public comments on the following Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant applications and reports, please submit to Heron Abegaze, Federal Block Grant Lead at Heron.Abegaze@state.mn.us.

2021 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant Reports

States are required to submit annual reports for the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) by December of each year. The State of Minnesota submitted the 2020 MHBG and SABG Annual Reports on December 2, 2019. Currently, our state is required to submit the 2021 MHBG and SABG Annual Reports by December 1, 2020. The purpose of the annual reports is to provide updates and progress reports to SAMHSA for the following areas:

• State Information
• Annual Updates
• Expenditure Reports
• Population and Services Reports
• Performance Indicators and Accomplishments

The 2021 MHBG and SABG Annual Reports are due to SAMHSA no later than Tuesday, December 1, 2020 by 11:59 p.m. EDT.

To View “2021 Mental Health Block Grant Report” or “2021 Substance Abuse Block Grant Report”

• Click on "View Existing Application“
• Click on the report you want to review
• Click on the specific sections you want to review

FY 2021 Block Grant Mini Application

States are required to submit an application for our Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Abuse Block Grant (SABG) annually and submit a plan biennially (on odd years). The State of Minnesota submitted a full application and plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 – 2021 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grants on September 3, 2019. Currently, our state is required to submit FY 2021 Federal Block Grant Application (I.e. Federal Block Grant Mini-Application). The Block Grant Mini Application is a required application so that States can include updates in the following areas for SAMHSA:

• Assurances
• Certifications
• Planned expenditures
• Additional updates on the State’s Plan

FY 2021 Block Grant Mini Application is due to SAMHSA no later than Tuesday, September 1, 2020 by 11:59 p.m. EDT.

To View FY 2021 Block Grant Mini Application

• Click on "View Existing Application“
• Click on the “2021 Block Grant Application”
• Click on the specific sections you want to review

For additional information on the Behavioral Health Planning Council: 

Behavioral Health Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services
BHD.BHPC.DHS@state.mn.us
651-431-2225