Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
Child Protection
540 Cedar St, St. Paul, MN, 55155
Service Details
Description
County and tribal child protection workers work with families to prevent child maltreatment. In some cases, they work with the courts and law enforcement to remove children from the home if they are in harm's way.
Children who have been victims of sex trafficking can get help under the Safe Harbor law.
The Safe Place for Newborns law provides a safe and anonymous alternative for mothers to safely give up their newborns. Mothers, or someone with their permission, may leave unharmed newborns, no more than seven days old, with an ambulance dispatched in response to a 9-1-1 call, or at a hospital or health care facility that provides urgent care.
Application Instructions
Call the county or tribal social service agency, or the police, where the child lives if you believe that a child is being hurt or neglected.
Statewide list of phone numbers
Some people, whose jobs involve caring for children, such as doctors, teachers and ministers, are required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
Other people, such as neighbors or relatives, are encouraged to report if they think a child is being abused or neglected.
Your report is confidential and your name cannot be released to the family except by a court order.
Area Served
Statewide
Websites
Phone Numbers
| Type | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main - DHS Information Desk | (651) 431-2000 | |
| Speech-to-Speech relay | (877) 627-3848 | |
| TTY | (800) 627-3529 |
Last Update
5/31/2023
Other Locations
This provider does not offer this service at other locations.
Other Services or resources
- Adult Mental Health Programs and Services
- Adult Protection
- Aging Services
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
- Caregiver Education and Training – Online Dementia Training
- Child Support Division
- Children's Mental Health Programs
- Economic Assistance and Food Programs
- Find a Children's Therapeutic Services and Support (CTSS) Provider
- Find a State Approved Gambling Treatment Provider
- Foster Care
- Housing Benefits 101 (HB101)
- Housing Services
- Long Term Services and Supports for People with Disabilities
- Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP)
- Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) and Minnesota Senior Care Plus (MSC+)
- Nursing Home Programs
- Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP)
- Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC)
Taxonomy Terms Used: Clicking a taxonomy term from the list below launches a new search.
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LJ-5000.8000Safe Havens for Abandoned Newborns Definition
Hospitals, health centers, police stations, fire houses and other facilities that are willing to accept, without questions, newborn babies delivered by mothers who are unwilling or unable to care for an infant and are thereby at risk for abandonment. Police reports are generally not filed and no attempt is made to contact the mother's family, even in situations where her identity is known. Infant safe haven statutes vary by jurisdiction with regard to who may leave a baby at a safe haven, the age of the baby at the time of relinquishment, the facilities that can be designated as safe havens, the responsibilities of safe haven providers, anonymity protection for parents and the consequences of relinquishment.
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PH-6500.1500Children's Protective Services Definition
Programs that investigate reports of child abuse, neglect or abandonment; document substantiated cases; provide for the temporary placement of children who, for their own protection, have been removed from the custody of the adults who are responsible for their care; work with families who are experiencing a problem with child abuse with the objective of facilitating continued family unification or reunification; and provide ongoing supportive services for children in permanent placement.