Historically in Dakota County there have been two collaborative groups, Family Services Collaborative and Children’s Mental Health Collaborative. They have now combined to form the Dakota County Collaborative.  The new governance structure requires each district to form a “local hub”.  The purpose of the Hastings Local Hub is to make recommendations to the larger group, called the Governing Board of the Dakota County Collaborative, on how the school districts in Dakota County and the County can better collaborate around prevention and intervention for healthy children and families. 

The governing board exists at the county level with representatives from various stakeholder groups. There is an expectation that a local hub operate within the boundaries of each school district in Dakota County for the purpose of assessing community needs, making recommendations to the governing board and formulating a local plan for collaboration around their purpose and target population.  The following is language taken from the Joint Powers Agreement signed by officials in the affected school districts, Dakota County and community agencies:

Purpose: The purpose of the Collaborative “shall be to foster collaborative prevention and intervention efforts to improve the stability and health of all children and families thought the coordination of multi-agency services and informal and formal supports within the community.  The Collaborative shall not function as a service provider but shall perform activities that coordinate supports and services with a goal of system improvement.  The Collaborative shall neither replace nor duplicate existing agencies, but shall refine relationships among them” (Joint Powers Agreement, p. 1).

Population to be served: “Children birth to age 18, or birth through age 21 for individuals with disabilities, and their families including:

• Children with an emotional or behavioral disturbance or who are at risk of suffering an emotional or behavioral disturbance; and
• Children with multiple and special needs including children who face social, emotional, educational, or economic challenges or are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement” (Joint Powers Agreement, p. 2).

The membership of the Hastings Local Hub includes parents of children who are accessing special school and/or county services; school personnel; county personnel; providers and other community stakeholders.  It meets monthly on the second Thursday of each month from 3:00-5:00 at the Hastings School District Office.

Contact:  Paula Angell (pangell@hastings.k12.mn.us)