Northstar Care for Children
Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth (MAPCY)
The MAPCY (Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth) is the tool used to determine Northstar Care for Children benefits. Minnesota county and tribal social service agencies use the MAPCY when working with foster, kinship and adoptive families.
The MAPCY assessment looks at the:
- Needs of a child, and
- Parenting that is needed to meet the child’s needs.
The MAPCY does not set the Northstar Care basic payment. The basic payment is set by a child’s age and provides for a child’s food, clothing, shelter and daily supervision.
Beyond the basic payment, Northstar Care also has a supplemental payment that provides for the extra care and attention for many children and youth who are placed in foster, relative care or adoptive placements. This supplemental benefit level is determined by the MAPCY assessment.
MAPCY Brochure
This brochure gives an overview of the MAPCY assessment. The primary audience is foster parents and relatives considering foster parenting, but relative custodians, adoptive parents, and others may find it helpful.
MAPCY Practice Guide and Bulletin
The department has released a practice guide and a bulletin relating to the MAPCY assessment. The primary audience is staff at county and tribal agencies, but others may find them helpful.
- MAPCY (Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth) Practice Guide (PDF)
- Northstar Care for Children Uniform Assessment Tool (MAPCY) (17-68-11 dated May 10, 2017) (PDF)
MAPCY Assessment
The MAPCY assessment is completed, scored, and approved inside SSIS (Social Service Information System). Different sub-tools are used for three different groups, and they are updated on a regular basis.
Although it is computerized, the current version of the text for each sub-tool is available through the links below:
- Child (ages birth -12 years old) (PDF)
- Youth (ages 13 up to 21, including youth in extended foster care who are not in EFC-SIL) (PDF)
- Extended Foster Care - Supervised Independent Living (for youth 18 up to 21 EFC-SIL) (PDF)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions and answers
Questions regarding the MAPCY assessment and Northstar Care for Children should be addressed to: northstar.care@state.mn.us
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