About Binti

To best evaluate your agency’s current interest & readiness in the Binti statewide rollout, we ask that your designated licensing decision maker complete the following survey:

Binti Survey >>

These survey results will help us to determine future cohorts and timelines of onboarding processes.

We are currently developing cohort plans and priority will be given to those who complete this survey and demonstrate readiness.

Salesforce:

Licensing Systems Transformation Proposal

• The Governor’s 2024-25 biennial budget includes funding to create a unified licensing system using Salesforce. Additional information about the Licensing Systems Transformation legislative proposal can be found on page 452 of the Human Services budget document.

This proposal must be approved by the legislature and funds appropriated for the Salesforce system

What is Salesforce?

• Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management software used widely in both the private and public sectors to meet the needs of customers and deliver services more efficiently. Software and associated hardware costs are paid for through an annual software licensing cost.

Why is Salesforce being proposed at this time?

• DHS was aware that counties needed a product to assist with foster care licensing and recruitment. However, the ultimate goal of DHS is to create a unified licensing system for all DHS provider types but we could not predict when funding might be available, and the system rolled out for the different license types. Starting in 2016, the department engaging in discussions with the Children’s Bureau around in unified foster care licensing and recruitment product as a result of our Federal Children and Family Services Review and the requirements of our Program Improvement Plan (PIP). Additionally in 2019/2020 the department engaged in a federal initiative called “Adoption, Call to Action” focused on reducing barriers to permanency for children in the foster care system. As a part of this pilot the department partnered with Ramsey County and a grantee to bring the Binti system to Ramsey County. As a result, it was determined Binti was a product that could be used as a statewide foster care licensing system. Concurrently the department was searching for a unified licensing system that could provide consistency across the state for all 27 license types.
• If the legislative proposal is adopted, DHS plans to pursue the licensing solution proposed in OP-72. One of the departments priorities is to work towards a smooth transition for Binti users to onboard to the salesforce platform.

If Salesforce is approved, how will this transition look for current Binti users?

• The overarching goals of the department are for: uniformity; ease of user experience; timeliness to licensure, and a way to obtain clear data. Because we are unsure of the outcome of the legislative proposal; a system is already developed and ready for Minnesota foster care licensing entities to use with minimal upfront time commitment; and the benefits for both the licensing agency and the applicants, we are continuing to move forward with the Statewide Binti platform. When we become aware of the outcome of the Governor’s 2024-2025 budget proposal and, once the foster care licensing platform has been developed the department will work collaboratively to ensure there is a smooth transition from Binti to Salesforce

Binti Standardization Workflow & Cohorts:

Did you obtain user feedback & engagement in the development of this Binti workflow?

• During this process the department was primarily focused on ensuring that we had a product that met the minimum child foster care licensing process that would offer a consistent, streamlined, state-wide platform.
• In the initial stages of the process, we did receive overviews of the individually customized process that some counties and one private agency had developed with Binti.
• Binti has a significant amount of expertise with user experience and functionality. Binit has worked closely with the MN agencies that are currently using the system during their onboarding process and continued used. The department, Foster Adopt Minnesota and Binti worked closely to review and analyze the feedback previously provided to develop a statewide platform.

Why were specific agencies targeted for initial rollout vs. others?

• There had been initial interest forms completed during the information stage of this process in which Binti demos were being offered. Based on these interest forms, we had multiple parties’ express readiness.  Some of these identified counties were selected for the initial rollout process based on Binti suggestion.
• A statewide email was sent to county licensing agency decision makers with the newly generated standardized Binti workflow and included a new interest/readiness form. We would encourage those agencies who maintain a heightened interested to look at this new content and complete the forms as they will help us to determine future cohorts.

Private Agencies:

Why are private agencies not included in the initial cohort phasing in process?

• While our goal is to eventually have all private, county and tribal agencies be part of that statewide platform, we are focusing on counties during this initial phase of the pilot
• The statewide Binti contract is based on the number of children in care in the state, with the counties being the agencies of responsibility for the children and the private licensing agencies being viewed as support/partner agencies. Because of this, the first wave of onboarding is focused on county agencies that have responsibility for the children, prior adding partner agencies.
• Additionally, this statewide Binti workflow required a general uniformity of forms and procedures. These were based on DHS requirements with county function in mind.  While we know that private agencies do also have these requirements being partners, we acknowledge that they understandably do not have these priorities as the sole functions necessary to accommodate their client/customer needs.  We would like to utilize this templated workflow with counties first to ensure a smooth licensing process; moving forward with private agencies at a separate time as we anticipate different needs to be assessed for these particular agency systems and want to be able to provide full attention to address quickly and efficiently.

When can private agencies anticipate onboarding for statewide Binti system?

• When county onboarding begins to slow down, we will be onboarding current county Binti users. Following, we would anticipate beginning the private agency rollout phase.

What is the anticipated timeline for counties to be slowing down?

• The timeline depends on the number of public agencies signing up to onboard with Binti.

Will there be a different Binti workflow developed for private agencies?

• At this time, we have not determined whether or not the private agency workflow would look different from the county agency workflow.
• The statewide Binti contract is based on foster care licensing platform only. There is hope that the current structure of the standardized workflow would be accommodating for licensing needs across county and private agencies, though this is something that will be addressed in the near future when private agency onboarding is anticipated.

How will private agency cohorts be determined?

• Though we do not currently have any determinations for the private agency rollout, it would most likely be anticipated that cohorts would be generated similarly to the county interest mapping that was determined based on readiness/interest feedback surveys.
• Once private agency workflows have been determined, we may distribute new content, similar to that which county received, that would provide more insight into how this Binti system would look for private agency users. As was done with counties, this email would most likely include an interest/readiness survey.
• When these emails are distributed to private agency contacts, we would encourage those agencies who maintain a heightened interested to look at this new content and complete the forms as they will help us to determine future cohorts.

Current Users:

Why are current Binti users not included in the initial onboarding phase of the rollout?

• Current users have established customized processes and tools.
• We are currently developing a plan to grandfather them in and determining how exactly this will look in the future.
• Current users Binti systems do not reflect the standardization workflow for the rollout. Therefore, more time is needed to better understand what this process will look like for these groups.

When can current Binti users anticipate onboarding for statewide system?

• When county onboarding begins to slow down, we will be onboarding current county Binti users.

To best evaluate your agency’s current interest & readiness in the Binti statewide rollout, we ask that your designated licensing decision maker complete the following survey:

Binti Survey >>

These survey results will help us to determine future cohorts and timelines of onboarding processes.

We are currently developing cohort plans and priority will be given to those who complete this survey and demonstrate readiness.

The benefits to creating a unified licensing solution include but are not limited to:

• Consistent user experience for applicants, providers, state county and agency workers:

1. The Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will create a consistent statewide experience and standard, so applicants don’t have to understand the processes of 87 different counties. Child Foster Care is a state issued license so the use of one solution will provide consistency across the state for all 27 license types, including child foster care.
2. Using one solution provides a more consistent experience for applicants and providers. Some providers hold multiple DHS licenses in addition to child foster care (e.g., a provider may also be a family childcare provider) By using the same solution, providers will not be required to have multiple logins or different processes and user experiences depending on the license type.
3. Using one solution provides a more consistent experience for county and agency workers. Some county licensing workers are responsible for licensing multiple license types. By using the same solution for all license types, county and agency workers will not be required to learn multiple solutions, have multiple logins or different user experiences.

• Improved Data, Equity, Oversight, and Program Integrity

1. The Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will automatically verify key information with other statewide systems and sources resulting in improved program integrity.
2. The Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will create consistency in the data collected across all license types to allow for better measurement and evaluation of all license types at the statewide level while also supporting counties. This will also allow DHS to identify and address potential equity and disparities and provide more consistent state oversight.
3. The Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will align licensing and Medicaid billing data that will allow for better analytics that will improve program integrity.
4. All counties will be required to use the Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub whereas the use of BINTI is currently optional. A required statewide system reduces disparities and differences that arise when system enrollment is optional.
5. BINTI currently has customized applications for participating county and agency that results in inconsistent processes, provider experiences, and data collection.
6. Creating consistency in the data collected across all counties allows for better measurement and evaluation of child foster care at the statewide level while also supporting counties. This will also allow DHS to identify and address potential equity and disparities and provide more consistent state oversight.
7. In addition to English, the Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will be translated into Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. This will help applicants for licensure and providers in communities of color and historically underrepresented communities be more successful in the licensing process so they can serve their communities.

• Cost effectiveness

1. DHS is already implementing the Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub for Certified Child Care Centers, Child Care Centers, and Family Child Care. Since the process of licensing is largely the same for all license types, we are able to capitalize on the work already done with Child Care to save time and money in the implementation of the remaining license types.
2. Similar functionality for provider recruitment and licensing is already being configured as part of the Child Care Systems Transformation to support capacity building (Wayfinder) in addition to the licensing functionality.
3. The Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub will integrate with existing DHS legacy systems. On average an integration can cost up to $500,000, in addition to the maintenance of the integration. Therefore, it is not cost effective to support the same integrations for multiple licensing solutions.
4. Salesforce software is already in use by other Minnesota State agencies (MDH, MDE, DEED, Licensing Boards) and MN.IT has a Salesforce Center of Excellence so there is already an established Salesforce expertise to support a Salesforce solution.
5. Salesforce has been successfully implemented in many states for human services licensing with several other states in the implementation phase. In addition, Salesforce has a prebuilt licensing and permitting solution that allows for quick implementation of the solution to add value much faster.
6. Salesforce is proven platform used for government solutions in 42 other states with applications for integrated eligibility, child and adult protection, child support enforcement, Medicaid, labor including unemployment, vaccine management and contact tracing and therefore has the potential to be built upon for other needed DHS modernization initiatives.
7. The anticipated time to delivery for the Provider Licensing and Reporting Hub is approximately 12 months, significantly shorter than delivery timelines for custom built software products. This allows DHS and counties to quickly meet the needs of licensed programs and the residents we serve.