Tikki Brown started her career as an intern with the Department of Human Services (DHS). More than two decades later, she’s leaving — though she’s not going far.
When Minnesota launches a Department of Children, Youth and Families on July 1, Brown will be at the helm.
The new agency, which will be phased in over the next year, will work on topics including early childhood education, child protection, juvenile justice and economic assistance for families. The state is breaking up DHS, and this new department will take over part of its work. It is also taking on roles and staff from various other state departments with the aim of making kids and families a higher priority in leaders’ spending and policy decisions.
Minnesota is one of a growing number of states reorganizing and consolidating services focused on young people under one agency.
“We’re not alone in this. This is a nationwide trend,” said Brown, 46, of Minneapolis. “This is an agency that is being built to really help provide better services, improve services and increase access to services.”
The Star Tribune sat down with the new commissioner, who is stepping into the role following a legislative session where lawmakers made a number of child welfare-related changes and as state agencies are drawing up spending plans for the next two years. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: You’ve spent all of your career at DHS. You’re an insider. How will that shape your approach to this job?
A: I’ve spent the entirety of my career at DHS, mostly focused in on food and nutrition programs, economic opportunity programs. That has put me in a really good position for this new agency with the knowledge base that I have about state agencies, working together with a variety of different agencies across my career. I come from a belief of collaboration, and coordination really makes a difference. I don’t believe that we can do our work alone and be successful and sustainable.