What is a Collaborative?

There are currently 89 Collaboratives in MN that are sanctioned by the State. There are 8 Children's Mental Health Collaboratives, 42 Family Services Collaboratives, and 39 Integrated CMH and Family Services Collaboratives. There can only be one Children's Mental Health Collaborative per county.

MN Collaboratives Directory

Minnesota Collaboratives

In 1993, the State Legislature approved a set of laws to create COLLABORATIVES as special districts in our state. Special districts are local government units created or authorized by state law to perform specific duties or to provide specific services in a limited scope (ex. Public Schools.)

Our specific duties are spelled out in State Statutes.

Statewide Collaborative Strategic Framework and Priorities

MN Collaboratives Portal

Family Wise maintains a Collaborative Portal with online resources on behalf of DHS. There is a password. Please contact Wendy Goodman if access is requested.

Ramsey County Collaboratives

In Ramsey County, there are three Collaboratives. Each has their own unique vision, mission and goals.

Ramsey County Children's Mental Health Collaborative

Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative

Saint Paul Children's Collaborative

What Collaboratives Do

Address the complex needs of youth and families.
Maximize results and resources by enhancing coordination and reducing duplication among systems
Involve communities, particularly families, in system redesign and implementation so their needs are effectively met

Each local Collaborative is responsible for… identifying needs, developing systems of care, and assuring that services cut across traditional system boundaries” (DHS, 1996). Children's Mental Health Collaboratives address the multi-system needs of families who have a child with a mental health disorder. Learn more about our work.

How Collaboratives Fund The Work

Collaboratives grow and are sustained through our Integrated Fund. (Minnesota Statutes Sections 245.491 to 245.495). The Integrated Fund is a pool of public and private local, state, and federal resources as well as in-kind donations and services which are consolidated at the local level and used to develop and implement cross-system and integrated services or supports that meet locally agreed-upon goals for youth with mental health disorders and their families. Each funding source may have its own requirements and restrictions that must be met. One example of this is the Local Collaborative Time Study (see more below.)

An integrated fund allows local service decision makers to

draw funding from a single local source so that funds follow clients.

It eliminates the need to match clients, funds, services, and provider eligibilities.
It creates a local pool of state, local, and private funds to procure a greater medical assistance federal financial participation.
It improves the efficiency of use of existing resources, minimizes or eliminates the incentives for cost and risk shifting, and It increases the incentives for earlier identification and intervention.
Learn more about how RCCMHC mobilizes, leverages and develops resources to support youth mental health in Ramsey County.

Local Collaborative Time Study (LCTS)

The LCTS is a funding source that is unique to Minnesota Collaboratives.

The Local Collaborative Time Study (LCTS) is Minnesota’s federally-approved claiming mechanism for Medicaid (MA) and Title IV-E administrative reimbursement for Minnesota’s Family Service and Children’s Mental Health Collaboratives. Reimbursement is earned by staff in public school districts, public health, and correction agencies for eligible activities they perform to assist the state in administration of the MA and Title IV-E state plans.

Original Bulletin and Memos

How Does The Time Study Work?

At randomly selected dates and times each quarter ("random moments"), staff in public school districts, public health, and correction agencies will get an email that asks them to choose an activity code that represents the activity they were performing at that date and precise time.
Certain activities are eligible for reimbursement.

LCTS funds are distributed quarterly to the three collaboratives in Ramsey County. LCTS funds have been designated by state statute for use in the expansion of early intervention and prevention services in Minnesota communities. The allocation percentages in Ramsey County have not changed since 1997.

RCCMHC: A Community-Led Collaborative

RCCMHC is a community-led collaborative that uses an “it takes a village” approach to support youth mental health and family wellbeing. Founded in 1997, RCCMHC has grown to become an essential hub and neutral convener that identifies gaps, streamlines access, and provides free direct services for youth and families who typically fall through the cracks of traditional service systems.

RCCMHC was created through a joint powers agreement between the MN Association for Children’s Mental Health, Ramsey County, and six School Districts. We also collaborate with family service and basic needs agencies, hospitals, clinical and nonclinical specialized care professionals, and healers. And we share joint initiatives with the Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative. These public-private partnerships make it possible for us to bridge gaps, leverage resources, and transform how families navigate systems.

A Responsive Children's Mental Health Delivery System

Health Equity

Youth & Whole-Family Wellbeing

RCCMHC works at the systems level, the community level, and the individual level to support youth and family wellbeing.

Our Impact

Ramsey County Children's Mental Health Collaborative

Working across systems and with families to support children's mental health.