In a major development for Minnesota’s early childhood landscape, the state has moved forward with the creation of the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), centralizing services previously housed in DHS and MDE. This is a massive structural change, and the Voices & Choices for Children Coalition has been actively monitoring the transition to ensure equity remains the top priority.
V&C recognizes that while centralization offers the promise of efficiency, it also carries the risk of diluting the specific focus on racial equity. That is why we are committed to influencing the culture of this new agency. We are proud to announce that the legislation establishing the DCYF includes the Children, Youth, and Families Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, a body designed to advise the new commissioner.
Our coalition is embedded in these processes, leveraging our “inside game” of administrative advising to ensure that all future policies developed and implemented by DCYF uphold our standard: that one’s racial identity no longer predicts, in a statistical sense, how one fares in society. The transition is funded by specific appropriations in the FY 2026-27 biennium, and V&C will continue to build bridges and advocate to guarantee that racial equity is at the forefront as resources are allocated.
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