Hennepin County Front Door: How to Request Disability Services for Your Child

What is Hennepin County Front Door?

Front Door is how Hennepin County routes people to its human services. Instead of figuring out which department handles what, you call one number and an intake worker connects you with the right program. For families of children with disabilities, it's the usual starting point for assessments and county-funded supports.

Front Door serves all of Hennepin County — Minneapolis, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Richfield, Brooklyn Center, Golden Valley, Hopkins and more. Your home address, not your clinic's or school's location, decides which county you contact.

Hours and in-person options can change, so check hennepin.us for current details before you go anywhere. For families of children with autism or other disabilities, Front Door is the entry point for:

• Requesting a MnCHOICES assessment for children's disability services
• Getting started with disability waivers (such as CADI and DD) and the CDCS option
• PCA/CFSS eligibility, which is determined through the assessment
• Respite and family support options
• Connecting with a case manager if your child already has services
• Questions about other county services your family may need

Does Front Door handle Medical Assistance or therapy?

Health care applications, including Medical Assistance and MA-TEFRA, are generally handled through MNsure or the county's eligibility side rather than the social services intake. If you're not sure where to apply, ask the Front Door worker to point you in the right direction.

It's smart to apply for MA and request the assessment at the same time. Most disability services require MA before they can start.

If your household income is too high for regular MA, ask about MA-TEFRA. It's a Medical Assistance option for children with disabilities that doesn't count parents' income for eligibility, and Minnesota stopped charging MA-TEFRA parental fees in July 2023. Many Hennepin County families use it alongside private insurance.

Front Door also doesn't schedule therapy. For ABA through EIDBI, speech therapy, OT or an autism evaluation, you contact providers directly — the county's role is assessments and home and community supports. Many families work both tracks at once.

What should I say when I call Front Door?

You don't need perfect words, but clear words help your request get routed correctly. Here's a simple script to follow:

1. “Hi, I'm calling to request a MnCHOICES assessment for my child for children's disability services.”
2. “My child is [age] and has [diagnosis — for example, autism]. They need help with [daily care, safety, behavior, supervision].”
3. “We're interested in PCA/CFSS and disability waiver services, and we'd like information about respite.”
4. “Can you tell me what happens next and roughly when an assessor will contact us?”
5. Before you hang up, ask for a reference number if one is available and note the name of the person you spoke with.

What should I have ready before I call?

Don't wait to call just because your paperwork isn't perfect — you can gather records while you wait for the assessor. But having these handy makes the call smoother:

• Your child's full name, date of birth and home address
• Medical Assistance or MA-TEFRA number, if they have one, plus private insurance details
• Diagnoses and who made them (clinic or evaluator name)
• A two- or three-sentence summary of your child's biggest needs
• Current services — therapy, school IEP, any existing case manager
• The best phone number and times to reach you, plus any interpreter needs

What happens after you call Front Door?

If your child is in crisis or you have immediate safety concerns, say so at the start of the call; for emergencies, call 911. Otherwise, the process usually looks like this:

1. Intake records your request and routes it to the team that schedules MnCHOICES assessments.
2. An assessor contacts you to schedule. Counties are generally expected to offer an assessment within about 20 calendar days of a request, though scheduling can vary.
3. The assessment happens, usually in your home, and covers daily living, behavior, health and supervision needs.
4. You receive written results about which programs your child is eligible for.
5. If your child qualifies for a waiver or ongoing services, a case manager helps you build a support plan and choose providers.

What if my request seems stuck?

Intake lines are busy, and requests occasionally fall through the cracks. If you haven't heard from an assessor within a couple of weeks, call Front Door again, give the date of your original call, and ask for a status update.

Keep a simple log of every call: date, time, who you spoke with and what they said. It takes two minutes and makes follow-up far easier. If you're still stuck, advocacy organizations such as Disability Hub MN and The Arc Minnesota can explain your options and help you navigate the county process.

What if I don't live in Hennepin County?

Every Minnesota county, and each tribal nation, has its own intake process for the same assessment. The request is identical: ask for a MnCHOICES assessment for children's disability services.

Neighboring metro counties — Ramsey (St. Paul, Maplewood, Roseville), Dakota (Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley), Anoka (Coon Rapids, Blaine), Washington (Woodbury, Stillwater), Scott (Shakopee, Prior Lake) and Carver (Chaska, Waconia) — list intake or disability services numbers on their county websites. Greater Minnesota counties, including St. Louis (Duluth), Olmsted (Rochester) and Stearns (St. Cloud), do the same.

Not sure where to start? Disability Hub MN can help you find the right county contact. If you move between counties, services generally continue but the case must transfer, so tell both counties early.

Keep in mind

This article is general information, not legal, medical or benefits advice. Phone lines, hours, intake procedures and program rules can change. Confirm current details with Hennepin County at hennepin.us, your own county or tribal nation, or the Minnesota Department of Human Services.