Monday – August 24, 2026
1:00 – 1:30
pm Welcome
& Introductions
Room: Whitebirch I &
II
Presenters: MCHHSA
Conference Committee
1:30 – 3:00 pm Keynote Speaker: Miss Minnesota Angelina Whitebirch I & II
Angelina Amerigo
is a Digital Media Management graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead
and founder of Amerigo Media LLC, where she supports businesses and
entrepreneurs through social media strategy, content creation, and digital
marketing. She has extensive performing arts experience, earning multiple
national awards and working alongside Broadway professionals. At age 12, she
began her on-camera career,
later appearing in campaigns for major brands
like Best Buy, Pillsbury, Walgreens, and SCHEELS. In 2023, she
served as Miss Minnesota, advocating for environmental sustainability through
her initiative “One Bottle, One Straw, One Bag at a Time,” reaching more than
one million people. Today, she continues empowering brands and communities by
creating meaningful,
purpose-driven content and sharing authentic
stories.
Click here for session documents – If available
3:15 – 4:30
pm Mission
Possible: County Partner
Mission Briefing
Room: Whitebirch I & II
Presenters: Bryan
Adams - DCYF, Carmen Patton-Minder & Kate Mayer
- DHS
Attention, crew members. Mission
Control is ready to provide
the latest status report on the journey ahead.
Join DCYF and DHS
for a mission briefing as we navigate an evolving policy and technology
universe. During this session, we'll review key outcomes from the recent
legislative session, scan the federal landscape for funding and eligibility updates,
and track the progress of major IT modernization initiatives that are helping build the
systems of the future.
As essential
members of the mission team, county partners
play a critical role in transforming policy
into action and delivering services that reach communities across
Minnesota. Together, we'll assess current conditions, identify upcoming course
corrections, and align
our navigation systems for the next phase of the journey.
The environment may be changing,
but with strong partnerships, shared
expertise, and a commitment
to serving Minnesotans, this remains a mission possible.
Click here for session documents – If available
Tuesday – August 25,
2026
8:00 – 9:15
am Introduction to Power BI
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenter: Tanner
Blagoue – Stearns
County
Prepare for
launch. In this session, we’ll begin our Introduction to Power BI – your
launchpad into a universe where raw data transforms into meaningful, actionable
insights. Whether you’re a new explorer or a seasoned navigator looking to sharpen
your skills, this mission will guide you through the essential steps for building clear,
powerful visualizations.
We’ll start by charting a course to your data sources, learning
how to connect to and work with data
sets. You’ll see how Power BI pulls information from your systems and how to
prepare that data for analysis — like calibrating your instruments before
takeoff.
From there, we’ll explore the galaxy of visualization options: graphs,
tables, charts, and other visual elements. Each one helps illuminate patterns, trends, and signals that support informed
decision-making
— like reading
the stars to navigate your mission.
By the time we return to base, you’ll
understand how to:
·
Connect Power BI to your data
·
Navigate the interface
and build simple
visualizations
·
Choose the right output for the story your data needs to tell
·
Use Power BI to support
reporting, analysis, and communication across your agency
This training is designed to be hands-on, practical, and accessible. No prior experience is required — just
curiosity and a willingness to explore what your data can do as you journey
into this new frontier.
8:00 – 9:15
am The Cosmic Map of MAXIS Claims Operations
Room: Whitebirch II
Presenter:
Joann Parten, Claims
Specialist, Economic Assistance and Employment Supports Division, DCYF
Drifting through
your claims universe,
each element plays a role in keeping
the system in smooth cosmic motion. Claim repayment
agreements, recoupments, and posting functions act like stellar navigation tools. Learn more about charting repayment agreements,
guiding overpayment recoveries, and keeping
every financial pathway aligned in stable orbit.
The Claims
Compromise Policy serves
as a peace protocol across
the galaxy, allowing
structured settlements when full recovery isn’t possible and restoring
balance to the system.
Meanwhile, duplicate
PMIs behave like twin stars sending mixed
signals—identifying and merging
them prevents data distortion and keeps your records traveling on a
predictable, harmonious trajectory.
Click here for session documents - MAXIS Claims
800 - 9:15 Room: Pelican
MCHHSA 101
Presenters: Shelley
Koen, MnPrairie, and Emily Ehnes, Sherburne County
Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Infiltrate the
inner workings of MCHHSA. Lead operatives Shelley
Koen (MNPrairie) and Emily Ehnes
(Sherburne County) will
brief you on the intel you need to navigate
the organization’s hidden
benefits and empower you to stay ahead of every new development. Your
briefing will take you deep into the organization’s origins – from the AMSSA
archives to today’s advanced MCHHSA framework.
Are committee roles a mystery
shrouded in classified documents? Unsure which officers and directors
pull which strategic levers? Curious about the secret link between TriMin and MnCCC membership? Agents Koen and Ehnes will open the classified
case files and decode every piece of the puzzle—revealing the strategic purpose
behind each committee, outlining the chain of command, and uncovering the
connections that tie it all together.
Bring your toughest questions, no riddle is too encrypted. Whether you’re a rookie agent or a seasoned
analyst, this session will equip you with the intel you need to complete the
mission. Join us, connect with fellow operatives, and assemble the full
picture.
This message will not self-destruct… but the opportunity might.
Click here for session documents – MCHHSA 101
9:30 – 10:45 am Estate Recovery – Choose to Accept It
Room: Whitebirch II
Presenter: Mark Eekhoff, Senior
Attorney, DHS Special
Recovery Unit
This session
will discuss Minnesota’s Estate Recovery Program,
speaking on general
recovery and details of estate recovery in the probate
process. It will touch on current issues and topics. Questions from county
agents are welcomed!
Click here for session documents – If available
9:30 – 10:45 am Grants at MDH: Helping Make the Impossible, Possible
Room: Pelican
Presenters:
DeeAnn Finley, MDH Public Health Strategy and Partnership Division Paula Naughton, MDH Financial
Management Division
Fred Ndip, MDH Health Promotion Chronic Disease Division
MDH grants
might seem like a “Mission Impossible” but we hope we can help. Join us to
learn more about a few MDH grants and participate
in a
listening session on what works,
what doesn’t and what we can
do better. MDH staff will be available to provide information and answer your questions. In the first session we will discuss:
·
General MDH Grant
Updates (DeeAnn Finley,
Paula Naughton)
·
Cannabis and Substance Use Prevention (CSUP)
Grant (Fred Ndip)
·
Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Grant (Fred Ndip)
Click here for session documents FHV Strong Foundations and TANF
Click here for session documents - FPHR Overview
Click here for Session Documents - Grant Management Resource Links
Click here for Session Documents - MDH Updates MCHHSA 2026
9:30 – 10:45 am SSIS – CCWIS: Rising to the Challenge: Designing Minnesota’s Next-Generation Child Welfare System
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenters: Erica Jepson &
Cynthia Shypulski, DCYF - CCWIS Modernization
Minnesota is
rising to the challenge of creating a next-generation child welfare case
management system — one built to support today’s practice needs and tomorrow’s
expectations. We are actively working towards building a new modern, intuitive
system that reduces administrative burden, strengthens the time workers can
spend with children and families, and is aligned with both programmatic and fiscal requirements. Along the way, we’re addressing long-standing inefficiencies and continuing to maintain and stabilize
current SSIS. This work represents a major opportunity to improve outcomes for
Minnesotans who receive services and improve the working experience of those
who deliver them.
In this
session, participants will get a clear overview of the blueprint for the new
system — its core components, the requirements that shape them,
and the federal expectations guiding
the process. We’ll also cover how the system’s
architecture is being developed to support future program expansion and how
tools like AI may be safely incorporated. Most importantly, we invite you to
contribute your expertise and serve as champions as Minnesota
designs a stronger, more effective child welfare system. We’ll highlight the many opportunities for the
people who use the system every day to be involved throughout the process, from
current Readiness work to preparation for the transition and implementation.
Help us rise and meet the challenge for Minnesota!
Click here for session documents – If available
9:30 – 10:45 am TriMin
Room: Heartland I & II
Presenters: Lisa Huberty & Jon Stratis
from TriMin Government Solutions
Introduced this
year, Cash Drawer now has the ability to generate and manage invoices. Come
learn how to set up this new functionality, generate invoices, pay them in Cash
Drawer, and track them through searches and reports! Being
able to generate an invoice,
seamlessly integrate it with payments, and have those payments flow
into IFS is one of the most exciting new features we've ever had!
Click here for session documents – If available
11:00 am – 12:15
pm MnCCC
Room: Heartland I & II
Presenter: Lisa Meredith, Executive
Director of Minnesota
Counties Computer Cooperative
(MnCCC)
Discover how
MnCCC elevates county operations through powerful cross-departmental and
interstate collaboration. One of MnCCC’s largest and most influential User
Groups owns and manages the Integrated Financial System (IFS), supported by
TriMin Systems. IFS gives counties, cities, and agencies the tools they need to effortlessly maintain files, track budgets, generate
reports, stay compliant, and so much more –
fueling smooth operations from ground control to mission completion.
Learn how your
team can stay connected through MnCCC’s RSVP system – our self-subscribed,
MnCCC-owned calendar that keeps your User Group meetings, notifications, and events aligned
and orbiting right where you need them.
Come explore the galaxy of services MnCCC
offers and learn how you can get involved in shaping the future of county technology!
Click here for session documents - MnCCC
11:00 am – 12:15
pm OSA – Fraud and Internal Controls
Room: Whitebirch II
Presenters:
Mark Kerr, OSA Special Investigations Director, and Lisa
Young, OSA Deputy State Auditor
This Minnesota
Office of the State Auditor
session is designed
to educate on identifying, preventing, and mitigating fraud.
The session details how opportunity, financial pressure, and rationalization combine to result in
fraudulent behavior and emphasizes how you can control the opportunity. We will
review risk assessments, establishing internal controls and monitoring controls
for effectiveness. This includes how to perform a risk assessment,
establishing, and monitoring internal controls. Also, dive into the growing
threat of Business Email Compromise fraud and gain practical guidance on
identifying, preventing and reporting internet-related fraud schemes.
Click here for Session Documents - OSA
11:00 am – 12:15
pm SSIS – PSSR
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenters:
Carrie Kisor, Holly
Reller & Erica Jepson, SSIS,
DCYF, and Sarah Barth, FFPSA
Policy, DCYF
In this Mission Possible-themed session,
participants will embark
on a guided mission to understand,
navigate, and successfully generate the Prevention Services State Report
(PSSR). Together, we will break down the purpose and importance of the report,
explore the SSIS Administration functions that support Prevention Services
reporting, and walk step-by-step through how to find, create, and generate the
required data. The session will include an overview of each PSSR tab to help
participants confidently interpret, enter, and verify information. Time will be
reserved for final questions, hands-on clarification, and a review of key
resources to ensure every attendee leaves equipped for reporting success. Your
mission—should you choose to accept it—is not only achievable but fully
supported.
Click here for session documents – Prevention Svcs State Report
11:00 am – 12:15
pm Grants at MDH: Helping
Make the Impossible, Possible
Room: Pelican
Presenters:
DeeAnn Finley, MDH Public Health
Strategy & Partnership Division Paula Naughton, MDH Financial Management Division
Heather Myhre, MDH Public Health
Strategy and Partnership Division Sonja Ausen, MDH Child and Family Health Division
Melaine Frazier,
MDH Child and Family Health
Division
MDH grants
might seem like a “Mission Impossible” but we hope we can help. Join us to
learn more about a few MDH grants and participate
in a
listening session on what works,
what doesn’t and what we can do better. MDH staff will be
available to provide information and answer your questions. In the second session we will discuss:
·
General MDH Grant
Updates (DeeAnn Finley,
Paula Naughton)
·
Foundational
Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) Grant (Heather
Myhre)
·
Family Home Visiting Grants: Strong Foundations
& TANF (Sonja Ausen, Melaine Frazier)
Click here for session documents FHV Strong Foundations and TANF
Click here for session documents - FPHR Overview
Click here for Session Documents - Grant Management Resource Links
Click here for Session Documents - MDH Updates MCHHSA 2026
1:00 – 3:15 pm Mission Control: Resource Session & County Led Round Table Discussion
Room: Minnesota Ballroom I & II (1st floor)
Prepare for
launch as we embark on an interactive journey through a galaxy of ideas,
resources, and collaboration. During this resource session, participants will
explore valuable tools, strategies, and opportunities designed to support
success and growth.
In addition to the resource
showcase, attendees will
gather for round table discussions where they can share insights, exchange
experiences, and discover new perspectives with fellow crew members.
Whether you're
charting a new course or looking to strengthen your mission plan, this session
offers a welcoming environment
to connect, learn, and collaborate. Together, we'll navigate challenges,
celebrate successes, and reach for new horizons.
Click here for session documents – If available
Room: Whitebirch I &
II
We’ll chart our course through the scheduled business items, spotlight the MCHHSA Member of the Year with a stellar plaque presentation, and wrap up with the much-anticipated grand prize drawing that’s sure to send spirits into orbit.
Click here for session documents – If available
Wednesday August 26, 2026
8:00 – 9:15 am Collecting and Assessing MA Overpayments
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenter:
Lynn Norland, Health
Care Integrity & Accountability Division,
DHS
“MA Overpayments 101” will be an overview of what
an MA overpayment is and options for recovering
it and directions for accessing resources available for help.
Click here for session documents – If available
8:00 – 9:15
am Maximize
FFP for Title IV-E
Room: Whitebirch II
Presenters:
Deb Miller & Courtney Harris,
DCYF Title IV-E Trainers
Nicole Needham, DCYF Title IV-E Policy Specialist
Aaron Yliniemi, DCYF LEAF Program
Brian Magruder, DCYF Title IV-E Supervisor
Prepare to launch into the Title IV-E universe
as we explore the systems,
signals, and stellar
pathways that guide compliance, case reviews, and successful claiming
across the galaxy.
·
Navigate the universe
of Federal Title IV-E Review
results and explore
how states measure up in this
compliance star-scan.
·
Stay in steady orbit with the Continuous Monitoring Process, guiding
statewide IV-E case reviews like a satellite keeping
every system aligned.
·
Decode the mysteries of IV-E legal expense claiming—from LEAF to agency-attorney reimbursement—as you step
into the cosmic command center of Title IV-E.
·
Chart the constellations of the Child Foster Care Report, clear
rogue proofing-asteroids, and
master the gravitational pulls of eligibility and claiming. Gather your data
logs,
·
eliminate system anomalies, and rise as the ultimate
cosmic investigator on a mission for flawless Title IV-E claims.
Click here for session documents – IVE Presentation
Click here for session documents – LEAF Handout
Click here for session documents – EDT Regions Map
Click here for session documents – CMP Required Documents Checklist
Click here for session documents – CMP QRTP Required Documents Checklist
Click here for session documents – CCI and QRTP Required Documents Flowchart
8:00 – 9:15
am Exploring
the SEAGR Universe: A Guide to Bundle Reports
Room: Pelican
Presenters:
Jen Albjerg and Julie Spurgeon, County Reporting, DHS-FOD
This session provides
fiscal supervisors with an introduction to the key financial reports
issued by the Department of Human Services
(DHS) Financial Operations Division (FOD). Participants will learn how these reports can support program
budget tracking, which reports
are most useful, and interpret the information. The session also includes opportunities to ask questions and share budget
management practices with colleagues.
Click here for session documents – SEAGR Presentation
Click here for session documents – Avg Cost per HR
Click here for session documents – SEAGR Units
Click here for session documents – Service Activity & Brass
9:30 – 10:45 am Infinite Impact – Partnerships in Stewarding Contracts (Grant Mgmt)
Room:
Whitebirch II
Presenter: Crystal
Graves, DCYF – Permanency Supports
A Journey Through
the DCYF Site Visit Galaxy
In this training, participants embark on a voyage across the DCYF Contract-Monitoring Universe, where strong partnerships act as gravitational forces holding our shared mission
together. Agencies and DCYF
unite as cosmic allies, working in harmony to ensure compliance, transparency,
and responsible stewardship of grant funding.
⭐ Mission Objectives
Strengthen Cosmic Partnerships - Collaboration is our star map—guiding agencies
and DCYF
·
Toward shared goals
and aligned practices.
·
Understand Site Visits
- These visits are not audits from a distant
planet—they’re opportunities
to build trust, observe operations, and support agencies in real time.
·
Navigate Fiscal Reconciliation - A structured review ensuring financial
practices stay in orbit
with contract expectations.
·
Prepare Data Logs - Your mission logs—essential for demonstrating performance, compliance, and program impact.
·
Review Internal Controls
- The stabilizing thrusters that keep your agency’s systems
aligned and mission-ready.
·
Communicate Processes Clearly
- Transparent communication ensures every partner
is navigating the same trajectory.
🚀🚀 Mission Readiness
By the end of this training,
participants will be equipped to:
·
Communicate processes with clarity
·
Engage confidently in monitoring activities
·
Strengthen their role as ultimate
cosmic partners in the DCYF galaxy
Together, we chart a course toward excellence—reaching the stars through
collaboration, accountability, and shared purpose.
9:30 – 10:45 am The Geography of Change: Minnesota’s Regions in Focus; Mapping Growth and Decline Across Minnesota
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenter:
Dr. Eric Guthrie,
Senior Demographer, Minnesota State Demographic Center
Using census
and state data, Eric Guthrie
presents the distinct
demographic trends shaping
Minnesota’s regions—from metro counties
to rural areas.
He explores how migration, fertility, and aging vary across
the state and what those differences mean for housing, education, and economic
development at the local level.
Click here for session documents – If available
9:30 – 10:45 am Stellar Guide to Family Support
Grant (FSG) Administration
Room: Pelican Room
Presenter: Yoceph
Alakija, Fiscal Policy
Analyst, Disability Services
Division, DHS
Launch into the
Family Support Grant (FSG) universe with a quick mission briefing on the
policies and processes needed to navigate successful administration. Lead
Agencies will learn their role as recipient navigators — identifying who qualifies, charting
Support Plans, and keeping budgets
in stable orbit while
ensuring the program’s integrity at every step.
You’ll also get
a clear view of DHS expectations, along with best-practice star maps for smooth
FSG operations. Coordinates for contacting DHS will be provided for technical assistance, and the session ends with open space for your
FSG-related questions.
Click here for session documents – FSG
11:00 am – 12:15
pm MA Invoices
Room: Whitebirch I
Presenters:
Robyn Heitpas, DHS Health Care & Housing
Finance Manager Ermias Kifle,
DHS Health Care Accounting Accountant
Aileen Wagner, Dakota County Program Trainer
Jody Friton, Blue Earth County Senior Account
Clerk
Does reconciling the health care invoice seem out of this world?
Do those Info Pac reports
look like transmission from
an alien planet?
Join us as we
blast off with Mission Control (DHS) taking a journey through the Health Care
Program Invoice and County
Confirmation reports. We will explore
the different reports,
how they are connected,
and how they are different. Once we are done exploring the reports available to
counties, two astronauts representing Dakota and Blue Earth counties will fly
in with the payload, a guide on how county reconciliations can be completed
including tips and tricks to balance the health care invoice to the Info Pac
reports. The knowledge shared will be out of this world!
Click here for session documents – If available
11:00 am – 12:15 pm PERA: From Hire to Retire
Room: Whitebirch II
Presenter: Jenelle
Thelen – MN PERA
Representative
From
Hire to Retire is designed for new PERA members, those who are close to
retirement, and everyone in between. The PERA pension is discussed in detail,
including how it fits into an overall retirement plan. PERA’s pension
benefit options, life changes that affect PERA, decisions members
must make, and self-service tools are highlighted.
Click here for session documents – PERA
11:00 am – 12:15 pm Orbiting Developmental Disabilities Semi-Independent Living Services (DD SILS) Essentials
Room: Pelican Room
Presenter: Yoceph
Alakija, Fiscal Policy
Analyst, Disability Services
Division, DHS
Launch into the
Developmental Disabilities Semi-Independent Living Services (DD SILS) cosmos
with a fast-moving mission briefing designed to help you understand the DHS
SILS Policy and the responsibilities that keep Lead Agencies
in stable orbit. You’ll explore
how agencies identify
recipients, chart Support Plans like star maps, and keep budgets aligned
within gravitational limits — all while safeguarding the integrity of the
program as the guiding force behind every decision.
The session
also clarifies DHS expectations for smooth SILS administration and shows how counties act as cosmic evaluators, assessing
service providers and the quality of services across the system.
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