We also have formed a new partnership with the private sector and are continuing administrative efforts, such as simplifying procedures and reaching out to the uninsured. Minnesota is continuing its trend of providing more services in peoples' homes and communities and fewer in institutions. Care at home is not only what seniors strongly prefer, it also is typically more cost-effective than nursing home care. We also are promoting the self-sufficiency of people with mental illness by strengthening community services for approximately 20,000 people. We have additional proposals that will help ensure quality services for people with developmental disabilities and other populations, and that would further promote independence and self-sufficiency.
Every child deserves a safe, loving, permanent home.
In the past few years we have stepped up efforts to ensure children have permanent homes. We also have proposed funding to ensure that children under state guardianship who are adopted receive care for their special needs. And we have proposed changing foster care financing to enable the state to take over the county portion of family foster care costs and reduce reliance on property taxes to fund children's services. A focus on customer service At the Department of Human Services, we continually strive to provide good service to our customers - whether we are providing information over the phone, answering a client's letter or processing a health care claim. This year, we are asking the Legislature to fund Electronic Government Services - an investment in computer systems that will ultimately help us provide better services to all of our customers.