A Time of "No" Change: As Emily Piper Takes the Helm, Minnesota Lawmakers Call for a Breakup of DHS
In December 2015, as Commissioner Lucinda Jesson prepared to step down from her role leading Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS), state lawmakers seized the opportunity to push for sweeping reforms. Among them was Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL–Minneapolis), who announced a bold proposal to restructure the state’s largest agency—calling it a chance to bring “greater transparency and accountability” to an institution long criticized for its overwhelming size and limited oversight.
Governor Mark Dayton had just appointed Emily Johnson Piper, his trusted general counsel and deputy chief of staff, as the incoming DHS Commissioner. With her appointment came both optimism and caution—Piper was praised for her intellect and administrative abilities, but she was also taking control of a massive agency responsible for critical services like Medicaid, child protection, mental health treatment, and the embattled Minnesota Sex Offender Program.
Rep. Thissen, in his announcement, praised both women, saying:
“I want to thank Commissioner Jesson for her years of leadership at DHS and welcome Emily Piper Johnson to her new role. The transition… is an excellent chance to rethink governance of a department that covers many of the most important and most sensitive services state government provides.”
At the time, DHS had grown into an umbrella agency with far-reaching responsibilities that spanned everything from elder care and disability services to psychiatric institutions and child welfare programs. Thissen argued that these disparate services had little in common—aside from being housed under one bureaucratic roof—and that this made effective governance nearly impossible.
Related: Rep. Thissen announces proposal to restructure the Department of Human Services
A Blueprint for Reform
Thissen’s proposed legislation called for DHS to be divided into five separate operational agencies, each with its own leadership and defined responsibilities:
-
Department of Health Care Services – Covering programs like MinnesotaCare, Medical Assistance, and mental health and chemical dependency services.
-
Department of Aging and Disability Services – Focused on services for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
-
Department of Human Services – Retaining oversight of child welfare, income assistance programs, and social services.
-
Department of Forensic Services – Taking charge of the Minnesota Sex Offender Program and forensic mental health facilities like St. Peter State Hospital.
-
Department of Direct Care Services – Overseeing treatment facilities like the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center and State-Operated Services.
A Coordinating Board, consisting of commissioners from each agency and county representatives, would facilitate cross-agency collaboration.
Importantly, Thissen emphasized that his plan would not increase the size of government. He proposed reassigning existing staff and completing the reform in a cost-neutral manner, ensuring no increase in taxpayer burden.
Related: Revisiting: Smoke & Mirrors: How DHS Used the MAARC Hotline to Cover Up Abuse Allegations Amid a $1B Medicaid Lawsuit
Beyond Structure: Reimagining Functional Services
The proposal also sought to reposition several core services across the state government to reduce redundancy and improve service delivery:
-
MFIP for adults, Minnesota’s primary welfare-to-work program, would be moved to the Department of Employment and Economic Development to better integrate with job training and unemployment services.
-
A new Office of Eligibility Services would centralize eligibility determinations for public services across health, education, and housing sectors.
-
Health care facility licensing would be unified under the Department of Health, streamlining provider oversight.
-
Background checks would be consolidated under the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
-
An independent Office of the Inspector General would be created to monitor ethics and waste, free of conflicts of interest.
-
Health plan regulation—currently split across multiple agencies—would be centralized in one department.
Related: Revisiting: Minnesota To Break Up Its Largest Agency c. 2023: This "NO" Turning Point for Public Accountability
A Defining Moment for Commissioner Piper
Emily Johnson Piper’s appointment came at a pivotal moment. While she had strong legal and executive credentials, she was stepping into a department in the midst of growing scrutiny and systemic stress. Thissen's proposal signaled that legislators were ready to do more than simply change leadership—they were ready to reimagine the structure of government itself.
As Commissioner Piper began her tenure, the weight of reform—along with the vast human and financial responsibilities of DHS—rested squarely on her shoulders. Whether she would support or resist the restructuring proposal remained to be seen, but the message from the legislature was clear: DHS could no longer continue with business as usual.
The legislative session that followed promised heated debate. But for many Minnesotans—especially those relying on DHS for essential services—the hope was that structural reform could lead to a more responsive, efficient, and humane state government.
References
Minnesota House of Representatives. (2015, December 8). Rep. Thissen announces proposal to restructure the Department of Human Services. https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/news/10791/14510
Star Tribune. (2015, December 7). Johnson Piper new Minnesota human services commissioner. https://www.startribune.com/johnson-piper-new-minnesota-human-services-commissioner/360818991/
MinnPost. (2015, December 7). Dayton adviser Emily Johnson Piper is named Human Services commissioner. https://www.minnpost.com/political-agenda/2015/12/dayton-adviser-emily-johnson-piper-named-human-services-commissioner/
.gif)
No comments