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The Department of Children, Youth, and Families has launched, and programs will transfer between July 2024 and July 2025.

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About the Implementation Office

The state of Minnesota is working on a transition to create a new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). This new cabinet-level agency was established in July 2024 with all programs transferring by July 2025.

The 2023 legislature included the Governor’s proposal to establish the new agency and funding for implementation in the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill signed into law. Authorizing language can be found in 2023 Minnesota Session Law, Chapter 70 (pdf) and a plain-language explanation of the statute can be found in the DCYF Statutory Explainer document (pdf). The statute appropriates funds for an Implementation Office, established on July 1, 2023, and housed at Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB). This office works in partnership with state agencies and through the Children’s Cabinet on planning and transition efforts to coordinate and plan for the creation of the new agency centered on our most precious resources: our children, youth, and families. As required in statute, the Implementation Office submitted a transition report (pdf) to the Minnesota Legislature on March 1, 2024, detailing engagement and planning efforts. The Implementation Office prepared a report with updates on engagement efforts and themes (pdf) in October 2024.

You can receive updates on the transition by signing up for our newsletter. Past updates are available below:

Partners and resources

The law directs some programs from the Minnesota Departments of Human Services (DHS), Education (MDE), and Public Safety (DPS) to come together to create the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Services will continue to be provided through current program structures in each department throughout the transition period. For more information about the services that will transfer to DCYF, please visit:

Some programs from DHS and MDE have already transferred. We welcome engagement, learning, and flexibility to expand and alter this list based on feedback over the course of the implementation timeline and beyond.

Jobs Openings at DCYF

Please visit Minnesota Careers and search "DCYF" to explore roles at the State of Minnesota.

Timeline

Bringing together supports for families, including programs serving children from infants and toddlers to older youth, the Departments of Human Services, Education, Health, and Public Safety will transfer identified programs to DCYF by July 2025.

  • May 24, 2023: The bill was signed into law by Governor Walz
  • July 1, 2023: The Implementation Office was established
  • July 1, 2024: The Department of Children, Youth, and Families was established with a commissioner appointed by the governor. The following is a planning timeline for program transfer. Program transfers may be delayed or cancelled to prevent service disruption or ensure adequate infrastructure is in place for program success.
    • July 2024: Identified programs from Children and Family Services at the Department of Human Services (DHS), Early Learning Services at the Department of Education (MDE), and some identified central operations functions transferred.
    • January 2025: Help Me Connect from the Department of Health (MDH) transferred.
    • June 2025: Remaining identified programs from the DHS Office of Inspector General, the MDE after school community learning grant, youth justice programs and the Office of Restorative Practices from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), and remaining central operations functions transfer.
  • Once the transition period concludes, programs can still be considered for transfer as identified by the administration, legislature, and advocates.

Divisions identified to move to DCYF include:

A detailed list of programs identified to transfer (pdf)

Children and Family Services at the Department of Human Services - Transferred July 2024:

  • Business Integration
  • Child Care Services
  • Child Safety and Permanency
  • Child Support
  • Economic Assistance and Employment Supports Division
  • Office of Economic Opportunity
  • Management Operations

Office of Inspector General & Department of Human Services Operations

  • Licensing functions for family child care, child care centers, certified child care centers, and child foster care.
  • Program integrity units for related Child and Family Service (CFS) programs
  • Central Operating functions - Human Resources, Finance, General Counsel, Compliance, and Management Services, among others.

Programs from the Office of Teaching and Learning at the Department of Education

  • Early Learning Services division (except Part B 619) - Transferred July 2024
  • After-School Community Learning Grant Program

Programs from the Department of Public Safety:

  • Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee
  • Youth Intervention Program grant
  • Youth Justice Office
  • Office of Restorative Practices

Program from the Child and Family Health Division at Minnesota Department of Health:

  • Help Me Connect - Transferred January 2025
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