Out-of-home respite care for children services modified.

HF 728 modifies Minnesota's rules for providing out-of-home respite care services for children in unlicensed residential settings. It allows licensed providers to offer this care in homes that aren't licensed for such services, but only if they meet strict requirements: background checks for all household members, annual assessments of the home's suitability by a case manager, annual authorization from a child's legal representative, and limits on the number of children (max four, with siblings allowed to share a room) and service duration (max 46 days per year). These rules do not apply to children in foster care under chapters 260C or 260D. The bill requires providers to maintain detailed documentation of all assessments and authorizations, effective January 1, 2026.