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NEW ULM -- Brown County’s investment in early intervention and family support programs is helping keep children in their homes and out of the court system, officials told the Brown County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.
Amber Portner, coordinator of the Families First Children’s Collaborative, presented the collaborative’s 2025 year-end report.
Portner succeeded Erin Schwab in the role.
The collaborative coordinates outreach and assessment across multiple agencies, using state and federal funds drawn down through the Local Collaborative Time Study. Brown County serves as the fiscal host. Portner reported the collaborative received $170,768 in LCTS funding in 2025 and maintains a $30,000 operational reserve.
Of that funding, $101,000 was allocated to community initiatives aimed at keeping families intact. Primary awardees in 2025 included the Southern Minnesota Crisis Nursery, known as Ivy House, along with Universal Contact follow-along care and Truancy Prevention.
The collaborative also awarded $22,896 to New Ulm and Springfield school districts for mental-health programming and $27,512 to support family facilitator programs.
Commissioner Brian Braun pointed to the financial return on prevention versus the cost of out-of-home placement.
“Every dollar in prevention is probably somewhere between three to six dollars of expense that we’re saving,” Braun said, citing truancy prevention as an example of work that keeps youth out of court.
Human Services Director Anne Broskoff reiterated that point, saying the county’s truancy officer works directly with families to resolve attendance issues before legal intervention is needed.
Without early support, Broskoff said, unresolved attendance issues can escalate to court orders and placement.
Much of the discussion focused on Ivy House, a nonprofit facility providing free, confidential, temporary child care for families experiencing a crisis or emergency. The facility cares for children up to age 10 for up to 72 hours.
“Ivy House is completely nonprofit and relies on grants and donations,” said Denise Kamm, Children’s Social Services supervisor. “They do not charge any of the people that come into their care.”
In addition to emergency care, Ivy House provides basic supplies including children’s clothing, winter coats and diapers.
Portner said families use the facility during medical emergencies, high-conflict custody proceedings or sudden housing disruptions.
Ivy House is one of Minnesota’s crisis nursery programs, providing temporary care in New Ulm for families experiencing a crisis or emergency.
Kamm updated the board on licensing. Ivy House currently operates under two state licenses, a child care license and a shelter license, requiring duplicate paperwork for each child admitted. The Minnesota Legislature recently passed a bill creating a unified license for crisis nurseries, but state agencies have up to a year to establish administrative rules.
Kamm announced Brown County and Ivy House were selected to receive the Region Nine Award for Community of Collaboration from the Minnesota Social Services Association for work supporting foster parents and children.
“Brown County and Ivy House were awarded a Region Nine Award for Community of Collaboration for the work we do together to support foster parents and foster children,” Kamm said.
The board voted unanimously to accept and file the report.