The executive board of DCT must operate the agency in accordance with Minnesota Chapter 246C as well as other applicable state and federal law. The overall management and control of DCT is vested in the executive board to include confirming the overall strategic direction for DCT, establishing policies and procedures to govern the agency, review and approve the operating budget, manage the DCT Chief Executive Officer, and recommend policy changes, DCT operating budget, and capital investment requests to the MN Management as budget, Governor's Office, and the legislature to carry out the principles and improve performance of DCT.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, the membership terms and removal and filling of vacancies for the executive board are governed by section 15.0575.
(a) The Direct Care and Treatment executive board consists of nine members with seven voting members and two nonvoting members. The seven voting members must include six members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate in accordance with paragraph (b) and the commissioner of human services or a designee. The two nonvoting members must be appointed in accordance with paragraph (c). Section 15.0597 applies to all executive board appointments except for the commissioner of human services.
(b) The executive board voting members appointed by the governor must meet the following qualifications:
(1) one member must be a licensed physician who is a psychiatrist or has experience in serving behavioral health patients;
(2) two members must have experience serving on a hospital or nonprofit board; and
(3) three members must have experience working: (i) in the delivery of behavioral health services or care coordination or in traditional healing practices; (ii) as a licensed health care professional; (iii) within health care administration; or (iv) with residential services.
(c) The executive board nonvoting members must be appointed as follows:
(1) one member appointed by the Association of Counties; and
(2) one member who has an active role as a union representative representing staff at Direct Care and Treatment appointed by joint representatives of the following unions: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE); Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA); Middle Management Association (MMA); and State Residential Schools Education Association (SRSEA).
(d) Membership on the board must include representation from outside the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2.
(e) A voting member of the executive board must not be or must not have been within one year prior to appointment: (1) an employee of Direct Care and Treatment; (2) an employee of a county, including a county commissioner; (3) an active employee or representative of a labor union that represents employees of Direct Care and Treatment; or (4) a member of the state legislature. This paragraph does not apply to the nonvoting members or the commissioner of human services or designee.
Executive board members must recuse themselves from discussion of and voting on an official matter if the executive board member has a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest means an association, including a financial or personal association, that has the potential to bias or have the appearance of biasing an executive board member's decision in matters related to Direct Care and Treatment or the conduct of activities under this chapter.
The initial appointments of the members of the Direct Care and Treatment executive board under Minnesota Statutes, section 246C.06, must be made by January 1, 2025.
Prior to the first Compensation Council determination of the daily compensation rate for voting members of the executive board under Minnesota Statutes, section 246C.06, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), voting members of the executive board must be paid the per diem rate provided for in Minnesota Statutes, section 15.0575, subdivision 3, paragraph (a).
The executive board is exempt from Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.01, until the authority and responsibilities for Direct Care and Treatment are transferred to the executive board in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 246C.04.
Except for the commissioner of human services, executive board members must not serve more than two consecutive terms unless service beyond two consecutive terms is approved by the majority of voting members. The commissioner of human services or a designee shall serve until replaced by the governor.
An executive board member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the executive board.
The initial term of the member appointed under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (1), is two years. The initial term of the members appointed under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (2), is three years. The initial term of the members appointed under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (3), and the members appointed under subdivision 2, paragraph (c), is four years.
After the initial term, the term length of all appointed executive board members is four years.
Chief executive officer.
The Direct Care and Treatment executive board must appoint as the initial chief executive officer for Direct Care and Treatment under Minnesota Statutes, section 246C.07, the chief executive officer of the direct care and treatment division of the Department of Human Services holding that position at the time the initial appointment is made by the board. The initial appointment of the chief executive officer must be made by the executive board by July 1, 2025. The initial appointment of the chief executive officer is subject to confirmation by the senate.
In its report issued April 1, 2025, the Compensation Council under Minnesota Statutes, section 15A.082, must establish the salary of the chief executive officer at an amount equal to or greater than the amount paid to the chief executive officer of the direct care and treatment division of the Department of Human Services as of the date of initial appointment. The salary of the chief executive officer shall become effective July 1, 2025, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 15A.082, subdivision 3. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 15A.082 and 246C.08, subdivision 1, if the initial appointment of the chief executive officer occurs prior to the effective date of the salary specified by the Compensation Council in its April 1, 2025, report, the salary of the chief executive officer must equal the amount paid to the chief executive officer of the direct care and treatment division of the Department of Human Services as of the date of initial appointment.
Commissioner of human services to consult. In preparing the budget estimates required under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.10, for the direct care and treatment division for the 2026-2027 biennial budget and any legislative proposals for the 2025 legislative session that involve direct care and treatment operations, the commissioner of human services must consult with the Direct Care and Treatment executive board before submitting the budget estimates or legislative proposals. If the executive board is not appointed by the date the budget estimates must be submitted to the commissioner of management and budget, the commissioner of human services must provide the executive board with a summary of the budget estimates that were submitted.