Department of Children, Youth, and Families policy language; TEACH early childhood program, great start compensation support payment program, child welfare policies, and out-of-home placement plans updated; and provisions to prevent foster care placements modified.

HF 1918 updates Minnesota's child welfare and early childhood programs. It requires child welfare agencies to actively locate noncustodial parents and relatives before removing African American or disproportionately represented children from their homes, and mandates placement with these relatives when feasible. The bill also modifies data privacy rules for the Great Start compensation program and exempts the Department of Children, Youth, and Families from standard contract term limits for electronic benefits systems. These changes affect foster care placements, early childhood providers, and families receiving child welfare services.