Title

African American Child and Family Well-Being Advisory Council

Sections

In 2024, Minnesota passed the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act to address systemic challenges African American and other disproportionately represented families face in the child welfare system. The law focuses on keeping families together, increasing support and providing culturally responsive services to reduce child maltreatment reports, harm to families and long-standing racial disparities.

The legislation also directed the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to create the African American Child and Family Well-Being Advisory Council to guide, advocate, and collaborate on policies, practices, and initiatives that ensure the child welfare system prioritize the preservation and well-being of African American families.

The council aims to support the well-being of African American children, families and children of African heritage by advising the commissioner of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families on best practices, policy development and system reforms designed to improve outcomes and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in child welfare.

The council’s work includes:

Reviewing child welfare policies, practices and procedures to assess equity impact on African American and African heritage children, families and communities, and identifying areas where disparities, unintended consequences or inequitable outcomes persist.
Supporting and informing statewide equity-focused strategies, including initiatives related to prevention, child protection, foster care, permanency, post-permanency services and family well-being, with particular attention to alignment with community-defined needs and strengths.
Developing and recommending system, policy and practice changes to the commissioner of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Supporting clear, consistent and culturally grounded communication strategies that educate, empower, and engage African American families and communities.
Publishing an annual public report with a summary of council activities, statutory responsibilities and recommendations for improvement.

Membership

The African American Child and Family Well-Being Advisory Council will have up to 31 members representing diverse lived, professional, and community-based experiences within African American and African heritage communities across Minnesota.

The council is designed to make sure the voices of children and families most affected by the child welfare system are heard and centered. At the same time, it will include members with experience in policy, systems, and practice so the council can carry out its responsibilities under state law.

When appointing members, consideration will be given to individuals with knowledge and experience across the key systems that shape child and family well-being. This includes areas such as child welfare, education, health and behavioral health, housing and economic stability, youth development, family engagement and community-based supports.

Council membership shall include, but not be limited to:

Representatives from community-based agencies serving children and families of African American or African heritage
Parents or relative caregivers of African American or African heritage who have directly or indirectly experienced child welfare intervention
Current or former foster youth representatives who are representative of communities of African American or African heritage
Members of the public who are representative of, or have significant personal or professional experience working in the African American or African heritage community in Minnesota
County child welfare staff whose racial and ethnic heritage is representative of the racial and ethnic heritage of children who are overrepresented in Minnesota's child welfare system
Representation of academic institutions with backgrounds in social work, human services, sociology or a related field involving children, youth and families
Representation from the Office of Ombudsperson for Families
Representation from the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage

Current membership

Dr. Joan Blakey – Chair, social work academia
Lynn Lewis – Co-Chair, community-based organization serving African American communities
Carolyn Washington – Community-based organization serving African American communities
Nashauna Lenoir-Johnson – Lived experience expert and community-based organization
Kimii Porter – Probation professional, lived experience expert
Jessica Rogers – Lived experience expert and community-based organization
Titi Russell – County child welfare professional
Jonie Cannon – Community-based organization serving African American communities
Huda Yusef -– Community advocacy and public representative
Ann Hill – Ombudsman Office for Families
Kandis Caston – Public representative with professional experience
Kiora Kamara – Public representative with professional experience
Lola Muhammad – Public representative with professional experience
Lolita Davis – Lived experience expert
Monique Doward – Community-based organization serving African American communities
Psalms Frye – Faith-based and public representative with professional experience
Antania Goff – Former foster youth
Catharine Fleming – Public representative with professional experience
Sirin Yimaz Kabalan – Public representative with professional experience
Angela Lamb-Onayiga – County child welfare professional

DCYF staff support (non-voting)

Susan McPherson – Consultant, Child Safety and Permanency Administration
Naomi Thyden, Ph.D. – Research Consultant, Child Safety and Permanency Administration

Additional Information and a listing of council members can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State Boards and Commissions website.

Council appointments

To apply for council membership, complete the online application and supplemental questionnaire through the Secretary of State's Boards and Commissions web page.

Meetings

The full council meets from 5 – 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month, except for November and December. Due to the holidays, the November and December meetings are held on the third Wednesday of those months. Meetings are in person, with a hybrid option to join via Microsoft Teams.

2026 meeting dates

Jan. 28, 2026
Feb. 24, 2026
March 25, 2026
April 22, 2026
May 27, 2026
June 24, 2026
July 22, 2026
Aug. 26, 2026
Sept. 23, 2026
Oct. 28, 2026
Nov. 18, 2026
Dec. 16, 2026

To observe meetings, contact aacfwbcouncil.dcyf@state.mn.us to receive the meeting link and information.

If you are interested in presenting a topic to the full council or to a workgroup, contact aacfwbcouncil.dcyf@state.mn.us to request an engagement form.

Meeting agendas and minutes

2025

2024

Annual report

By January 1, 2026, and every year thereafter, the council must submit reports to keep state leaders informed about its work. The report describes council activities throughout the year and outlines changes that could improve child welfare outcomes for African American children and families. Reflecting the voices, concerns, and hopes of the community, the report includes recommendations to change state law to make the child protection system fairer, more effective, and more supportive of African American families.

2025 annual report (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

Council members participate in relationship‑building, advisory and accountability tasks, such as:

Participate in monthly council meetings, engage in discussion, offer insight and help shape decisions
Serve on subcommittees focused on agency policy and practice, community and stakeholder engagement, or data outcomes
Review and suggest policies and best practices to reduce racial disparities and improve child welfare outcomes based on lived experience, professional expertise and community insight
Review and provide input on documents including best practice guides and reports
Gather feedback from families and communities to identify trends and challenges affecting African American families
Review data and track outcomes

What are the council’s priorities?

Support families: help families stay together and access resources
Reduce disparities: address racial inequities and intergenerational trauma
Promote collaboration: build trust and partnerships with families and communities
Strengthen communication: share clear, culturally relevant information
Monitor outcomes: recommend improvements to ensure fairness and effectiveness

How long are terms?

Terms are four years

When and where are meetings?

Full council: Fourth Wednesday, 5 – 7 p.m., hybrid (in-person or online)
Subcommittees: At least once a month; subcommittee members determine dates and time

Is there compensation?

Yes. Members can receive $55 per meeting or for approved work sessions (preapproved, per Minnesota law)

How do I apply?

Complete the application and supplemental questionnaire through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Boards and Commissions portal.

Applications are reviewed and ranked by current council members and DCYF staff.
Selected applicants may have an informal interview and reference check. The panel recommends candidates to the DCYF commissioner for final appointment.
All applicants will be notified of the decision.

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