Racial disparities in Minnesota’s child protection system have prompted state legislation and a federal civil rights complaint, according to a recent Star Tribune report. The NAACP has called for an investigation into alleged discrimination and misuse of federal funds, particularly in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
Kelis Houston, chairwoman of the local NAACP’s child protection committee, testified before lawmakers, stating that African American families face harsher outcomes despite entering the system for less serious allegations compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Cindy Devonish, a Hennepin County child protection worker and NAACP member, shared her firsthand experience of the disparities and claimed she was removed from a case after objecting to the termination of parental rights.
In response, Minnesota lawmakers are working on a bill to ensure “active efforts” to keep children with their families or reunify them quickly, provide cultural competency training for child welfare staff, and create a portal for reporting noncompliance. The state’s Department of Human Services has also established an advisory council to review data and priorities, which the proposed legislation aims to enshrine in law.
Additionally, lawmakers are seeking to strengthen a decades-old state law that expands on the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, governing the removal of Native American children from their families. The NAACP’s complaint calls for compliance with the Civil Rights Act and the implementation of procedures to document racial equity issues in Minnesota’s child protection system.
“Racial disparities in child protection prompt Minnesota legislation, federal complaint” (April 4, 2024)
