Purpose of the Bill

The bill is designed to support families in Minnesota by establishing a pilot program for family mediation. It aims to help resolve family disputes, increase access and awareness of mediation services, and ultimately improve the well-being of families, including assistance specifically for grandparents.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill allocates $3,000,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2026, to be used as a one-time grant.
• Administration: Community Mediation Minnesota will administer the statewide family mediation pilot program.
• Services Offered: The program will provide various dispute resolution services such as family reconnection coaching, mediation, and navigation services.
• Cultural Inclusion: The program will partner with culturally specific dispute resolution programs to ensure diverse and comprehensive service provision.
• Mediator Development: Efforts will be made to increase both the number and competency of mediators on the state's family mediator roster.
• Integration with Other Services: The program will work to integrate mediation services with navigation, legal assistance, and court services.
• Program Evaluation: Tools will be developed to assess the program's effectiveness, allowing for design modifications and successful replication.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces new funding and a structure for a family mediation pilot program, which represents a proactive state-level initiative to provide and improve mediation services specifically focused on families.

Relevant Terms

• Family mediation
• Dispute resolution
• Reconnection coaching
• Culturally specific programs
• Mediator training
• Statewide access
• Fiscal year 2026