NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved accepting a two-year, $213,070 Community Crime Intervention and Prevention Program grant to Brown County Probation Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Commissioner Tony Berg, seconded by Dave Borchert.

The contract agreement is effective April 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2025 between Brown County and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The grant from the Minnesota Office of Justice Program is geared to address factors in reducing truancy.

Two-year funding includes $157,570 for a truancy/pre-truancy officer, $7,000 for bi-annual program evaluations, $1,227 for a truancy officer cell phone and hot spot and $800 for student incentives.

In 2020, 142 Brown County juveniles participated in pre-truancy and truancy programs. There were 141 participants in 2021, 131 in 2022 and 184 in 2023.

According to Brown County Probation’s Comprehensive Plan, when a child has seven or more unexcused absences, the school or truancy officer may file a request with the county attorney to facilitate a CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) petition due to habitual truancy.

When a CHIPS petition is filed in juvenile court, an admit/deny hearing is set. If the student admits to being an habitual truant, the court will adjudicate the child to need protection or services until age 19.

Once the court has jurisdiction, it can mandate the parent and child engage in a multitude of county services including probation supervision, periodic review hearings, fine, community work service, loss of driver’s license, out of home placement, removal of electronic devices, chemical or mental health evaluations, among others.

If a student is placed in out of home placement, they will participate in intensive supervision specialty court upon returning to the community. Specialty court includes frequent oversight and a multi-disciplinary team approach to eliminate barriers of attendance for students.

If the petition is denied, the court will conduct a pre-trial hearing and the trial will occur within 60 days whereby the Brown County Attorney’s Office must prove by clear and convincing evidence the child needs protection or services as an habitual truant.