Guide to Free and Low-cost Car Seats in Hennepin County
Source Eligibility Requirements
MinnesotaCare Program or Medical Assistance BluePlus Program members who are at least six months pregnant or have children who are 24 months old or younger.
How it Works
Eligible members can call customer service to receive a voucher, which is redeemable for a car seat at various stores in the Twin Cities.
Contact Information
Call the Healthy Start Program at 866-489-6948; ask for the car seat program
Medica Choice Care or Medica MinnesotaCare members (ID numbers beginning with 59) who are at least six months pregnant or have children who are 24 months old or younger.
Medica Choice Care Medica MinnesotaCare
MHP Medical Assistance, General Assistance, and MinnesotaCare members who are at least six months pregnant or have children who weigh under 40 pounds. Booster seats are available for children who weigh 40 to 80 pounds. UCare Minnesota members who are pregnant or have children under 40 pounds.
When members call Medica Customer Service, depending on their location they will either receive a car seat directly from Medica, or a voucher for a car seat from Bloomington Public Health, Centro, or the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency (MVNA). The appropriate agency will provide a car seat at no cost and instruct parents on its proper use.
Medica Customer Service English: Spanish: Hmong: Somali: Russian: Vietnamese: 952-992-2322 952-992-2297 952-992-2296 952-992-2260 952-992-2294 952-992-2295
Eligible parents will be referred to a child passenger safety class, where parents/guardians will receive instruction and education on proper car seat use. At the end of the class, parents will be issued a car seat.
Patty Graham, MHP, at 612-596-0743
A public health nurse from the MVNA will deliver a free convertible car seat to enrollees' homes and instruct them on its proper use. Limit one car seat per member.
MVNA at 612-617-4700 or UCare Customer Service at 612-676-3200 or 1-800-203-7225
More
Source
Eligibility Requirements
Hispanic and Latino families living in the metro area.
How it Works
This program distributes free convertible car seats to eligible UCare, MHP, and Medica members, and helps other Latino families access seats. Instruction and materials are available only for Spanishspeaking families. Convertible car seats and booster seats are available for purchase. With the purchase of any seat, parents receive education about its installation and proper use.
Contact Information
Amy Kegan at 612-874-1412.
Available to the public during scheduled car-seat inspections or by individual appointment.
Services are available by appointment only. Contact the SAFE KIDS Northwest Metro Minneapolis Coalition, North Memorial Medical Center at 763-520-4287.
Helpful Resources
Web sites
Information about car seats, car seat recalls, brochure order forms, and a schedule of car seat check-up events. Helpful guidelines about proper car seat use, types of car seats, car seat training and more.
Brochures
A variety of child passenger safety brochures are available in English, Spanish, and Somali. Call the Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Programs at 651-201-7068. These materials are also available online at . This information was compiled by the Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department, and updated November 2006.