Narrative: a.

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), Minnesota’s TANF program, provides temporary (60 months or less) cash and food assistance to: • Families with children under age 18 (up to age 19 if in secondary or vocational school full–time), and pregnant women and their spouses when financially eligible; • Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, or other relatives who take responsibility for children whose parents cannot or will not. These adult relatives may receive assistance through MFIP for children in their care and may choose to be on the MFIP grant or to get a child–only grant. When the non–parental caregiver receives assistance only for the children, the income and assets of the relative caregivers are not considered and the case is not subject to the 60–month lifetime limit. MFIP helps families work toward economic stability and greater self–sufficiency. MFIP provides a grant to supplement family income, help with child care costs, employment services and opportunities for education and training for workforce preparation. MFIP encourages employment by providing work incentives, and promotes personal responsibility by expecting families to actively pursue employment. Some of the family’s earned income is disregarded before calculating the MFIP grant. Starting October 1, 2014, the disregard amount is 50 percent of the gross earnings for applicants and participants. The remaining earnings are subtracted from the Family Wage Level grant standard, which is 10 percent higher than the standard allowed for families who receive only unearned income. For applicants, the Family Wage Level is the single standard used when determining MFIP eligibility regardless if the applicant has earnings or not. Child care is a key component in Minnesota’s strategy to help families leave and remain off welfare. In Minnesota, the Child Care Assistance Program provides financial assistance to families to support access to child care that is affordable so that parents can work and/or attend school and children are well cared for and ready for school. Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) families who participate in work activities such as work, job search, education, or social services activities that are approved for their employment plans are eligible to receive childcare assistance. In addition, Transition Year child care is available to eligible families for a full year after their MFIP case closes to help families move toward economic stability. MFIP child care and Transition Year child care assistance are fully forecasted in the state’s budget. The Basic Sliding Fee program is available for non–MFIP/DWP income eligible families and is funded through a capped allocation. If a family finishes their transition year child care assistance and there is a waiting list in their county for the Basic Sliding Fee program, the Transition Year bridge program will continue to provide them child care assistance until they reach their turn for Basic Sliding Fee child care assistance. Families receiving MFIP are encouraged to apply for medical services at the same time they apply for MFIP. Families not receiving cash assistance can apply for the Medical Assistance program and the MinnesotaCare program (Minnesota’s health care program for the uninsured). Families who receive MFIP must cooperate with the Child Support agency to establish and enforce their child support orders. In state fiscal year 2013, the Child Support agency collected $604 million in child support. Through the child support pass–through, Minnesota counties collected and distributed to MFIP families $6.6 million in child support. Minnesota passes through 100 percent of the child support payments made to the families receiving MFIP and counts that support dollar–for–dollar as unearned income against the MFIP grant. MFIP combines cash and food per the provisions of a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services. Families who are not eligible for MFIP can apply for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Diversionary Work Program (DWP) The Diversionary Work Program provides help to families in crisis who are new to the welfare system by supporting them in their efforts to immediately obtain and retain employment rather than go on welfare. DWP may be provided to families in crisis for a maximum of four months once in a 12–month period. Families with children under age 18 (or under age 19 if the child is a full–time student in a secondary school or at the equivalent level of vocational or technical training), or pregnant women and their spouses are eligible for DWP. All parents, including both parents in a two–parent family, are required to develop and sign an employment plan before the family is approved for DWP. Most parents must seek full–time work immediately when approved. Employment services can help the family identify and address issues that may prevent the parents from obtaining or retaining employment. DWP employment service providers help parents find work that fits with the employment plan. The employment plan may include limited training that can be completed in four or fewer months. DWP supports families during a crisis situation and is not intended to meet recurrent needs. The short–term supports provided may include temporary help with rent, utilities or other housing costs and a personal allowance. Other supports for which families on DWP might be eligible are Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, health care and child care assistance. After four months of DWP, a family may be eligible for MFIP and continue to receive food, child care and health care under MFIP. Families who receive DWP are required to cooperate with the Child Support agency to establish and enforce their child support orders. Although families on DWP are required to cooperate with the Child Support agency, child support is not assigned to the state. All child support is passed through to the family and it reduces the DWP grant dollar–for–dollar. DWP is available for a maximum of four consecutive months. Because DWP benefits are meant to address the family’s crisis and divert them from long–term assistance, receipt of DWP does not count against the 60–month TANF time limit. Work Benefit Program (WB) Minnesota’s will suspend its Work Benefit Program on December 1, 2014. The Commissioner of Human Services has the authority to reinstate the program any time he or she would choose to do so. This program is funded with maintenance of effort state funds under a separate state program. It is intended for families who exit DWP or MFIP. To be eligible for the $25 benefit, families must be working: • At least 87 hours per month in a one parent family with a child under 6 years old or • At least 130 hours per month in one parent family with no child(ren) under six years of age or a pregnant woman with no other children • At least 130 hours per month in a two–parent family with at least one caregiver working Net income for the Work Benefit Program must not exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline (FPG) for the family size. Eligibility for WB may continue for up to 24 consecutive months, if all eligibility factors are met and the asset limit is below $5,000. Work Benefit Program follows MFIP policy when determining counted and excluded assets.