Addiction & Substance Abuse Recovery Support

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, chemical health assessments/Rule 25 assessments may be provided virtually. To inquire about how to proceed with applying for and obtaining Rule 25 services, please contact Kasey Theis at 952-496-8358 or Scott County Central Intake at 952-496-8959.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - List of Virtual Recovery Programs
• Narcan Supplies
• COVID-19: Potential Implications for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders
  • COVID-19: Las posibles implicaciones para las personas con trastornos por consumo de drogas

Child Care Resources

• List of childcare providers for emergency workers
• MN.gov - Child Care for Critical Sectors
•  For best practices regarding COVID-19, see the Summary of COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care Settings from the MN Dept. of Health.
• Scott County HHS Guide: What You Need to Know
• Scott County Licensed Family Child Care Association
• Family Activity Ideas
• Sesame Street in Communities: Activities for children, as well as free professional development
• To apply for Child Care Assistance, use the MN DHS electronic application.
• Your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) may have other helpful resources.

Cash and Emergency Assistance

• To apply for Cash or Emergency Assistance, use the electronic application from the MN Dept. of Human Services.

Energy Assistance Program

• Energy Assistance Program (English)
• Energy Assistance Program (Spanish)
• Energy Assistance Program (Somali)

Scott County Tech Packs

If you need consistent access to a computer and WiFi to apply for jobs, you may request a Tech Pack through your local Scott County Library. Click here to learn more. 

Unemployment

If your employment has been affected by COVID-19, you can apply for unemployment benefits. 

• Apply for Unemployment in Minnesota
• MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development:
  • Information for Workers
  • Information for Employers and Small Businesses (small business loans, sales tax, and more)
• Veteran’s Services
  • Please know that your Scott County Veteran Service Office is ready to help and respond to your needs via telephone – contact them at (952) 496-8176, Monday through Friday, any time between 8 AM and 4:30 PM, and they will do everything they can to make sure you get what you need.  You were there for all of us in our time of need, and we’ll be here for you when you need us.
• Employment and Training Service Changes, effective August 4, 2020

  The Career Lab is open on a limited basis, by appointment only.  Current hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 AM -12:30 PM.  Please call the Career Lab Help Desk at 952-496-8310  to schedule an appointment.  Appointments must be scheduled at least one day in advance. 

  All onsite hiring events and workshops are currently suspended.  To view a list of virtual hiring events and workshops, go to CareerForcemn.com.  We will continue to work during this time and all appointments and orientations will be done over the phone.  All paperwork will be processed per usual and as it is received.  You can drop off paperwork in our secure 24-hour drop off box located right outside our main office door at 752 Canterbury Road South in Shakopee.  Items in the drop off box will be collected every hour during our normal business hours.  

  You can also use our fax at 952-496-8675 .  If you call your Employment Counselor direct or call 952-496-8310,  please leave your full name, case number (if applicable), and a detailed message.  All calls will be returned within 24-48 hours.  Thank you for your patience during this time.

  Scott County Employment and Training is a division of Health and Human Services Department and a Dakota/Scott CareerForce partner.

  Are you unemployed or underemployed? Are you looking to update your current skill set? You can complete and return a Contact Record to our office and call us to discuss your options at 952-496-8310.

Family Activities

• Sesame Street in Communities: Activities for children, as well as free professional development
• CDC Recommendations: Protect Yourself While Visiting Parks & Playgrounds (Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese) 
• Check the Parks tab on our COVID-19 Response page to see the status of Scott County regional parks and city playgrounds.

Family Mental Health

• Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19 (Available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other languages.
• Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in Scott County: During this time of isolation, friends, family members and neighbors need to actively engage in preventing child abuse and neglect. Learn how to recognize the signs. 

Scott County Restaurant Openings and Services

• Scott County Restaurant Updates
• Restaurant Openings (updates daily at noon)

CARES Funding for Qualifying Renters & Homeowners 

Update 4/20/21: HousingLink has added a form for tenants and their attorneys to request documentation that their landlords were paid rental assistance through the Hennepin, Dakota, and Scott County Rental Property Support Programs. If you need to receive this verification, please click here to submit your request.

COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program

Update 4/20/21: The COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program is closed. All processing is complete and no requests for assistance can be submitted to this program. If you have questions about your application, please contact your local administrator. If you don’t know who your local administrator is, please email mhfa.covidhap@state.mn.us and staff can connect you with your administrator.

Help for Homeowners

• Scott County CDA: Provides foreclosure counseling to homeowners struggling with mortgages.

Help for Renters

• Rent Help MN: A statewide program to help Minnesotans who have fallen behind on rent or fear this could happen. See if you qualify at the link or call 211. Applications open as of 4/20/21. 

Other Information for Renters & Landlords

• COVID-19 Recursos para Inquilinos 
• COVID-19 Guía para los propietarios 

Emergency Housing

• Scott Carver Dakota CAP Agency:  For those currently experiencing homelessness, or need to discuss resources to retain your current housing.
• Beacon Families Moving Forward: For families with children under 18 who need shelter immediately
• Youth Services Network: For transitional-aged adult (over 18) and youth-specific homeless-dedicated & housing resources.

Internet Access

• Until further notice, all Comcast Xfinity WiFi Public Hotspots are now open to everyone on the “xfinitywifi” network. Public hotspots can be found in small/medium businesses and outdoors in commercial areas. Visit the Xfinity Find-a-Hotspot home page to see a map of locations and learn more.  
  
  
• You may connect a mobile device to the public WiFi in Scott County Library parking lots as it is available. Click here to see Library locations and hours. 

Centers for Disease Control Recommendation - Cloth Face Coverings

Wearing a cloth face covering helps protect people around you if you are infected but do not have symptoms. We recommend the following resources from the CDC:

• CDC - Cloth Face Coverings Frequently Asked Questions
• CDC - Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings Guide  |  Guía en Español - Cómo usar cubiertas (tapabocas) de tela para la cara

Donations of Personal Protective Equipment

Scott County sincerely thanks everyone who has expressed their wish to donate PPE (personal protective equipment), and we’ll gratefully accept any unused, sealed donations.  We have set up a secure drop box in the entry of the Law Enforcement Center (301 Fuller St S, Shakopee), right next to the “Take It To The Box” receptacle for these donations.

At this time, Scott County cannot accept unsealed, used, or hand-sewn donations, including handcrafted masks. However, Allina Health is accepting such donations.  

Again, thank you all for your selfless and thoughtful contributions.  With your help, we’ll get through this difficult time together.

Transportation - SmartLink/TransitLink

• Door to Door bus service is still operating. At this time, there is availability on the buses. 
• We will also do pick-ups and deliveries of food and goods, if available. Visit the Smartlink/TransitLink page for more information about engaging this service.

Metropolitan Council

• Metro Mobility is providing free door-to-door service from home to work and work to home for any person who works at a healthcare facility, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here to schedule a trip.

Scott County Volunteers

Scott County is coordinating with partners county-wide to help residents safely support each other and ensure needs are met. We seek volunteers willing to do the following:

• Make phone calls to isolated residents. 
• Drive food from food shelves to families, or help at food shelves to package food.
• Shop for and deliver groceries to residents with transportation needs.
• Sew masks and deliver to areas in Scott County.

More opportunities are posted at www.scottvolunteers.com. Sign up and choose areas where you’d like to help. Our Volunteer Coordinator will match you to requests that come to the County, or with requests from cities and areas throughout the County.

Jordan Errands to Reduce Risk Program

• The City of Jordan is coordinating a volunteer program intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 among Jordan residents that are at higher risk (including the elderly or immunocompromised) by connecting them with volunteers that are willing to run errands in their stead. Click here to learn more.

Allina Health

• Support Allina Health workers through the Caring for Caregivers program.