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The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)

The Minnesota Family Investment Program, or MFIP, is the state’s welfare reform program for low-income families with children. MFIP helps families move to work. It includes both cash and food assistance. When most families first apply for cash assistance, they will participate in the Diversionary Work Program, or DWP. This is a four-month program that helps parents go immediately to work rather than receive welfare.

Some families may be referred to MFIP when they first apply for assistance or after they finish four months of DWP. MFIP helps families transition to economic stability. Parents are expected to work and are supported in working. Most families can get cash assistance for only 60 months.

Report analyzes programs for teen parents

A new report, The Four Rs of Service Delivery for MFIP Teen Parents: Approaches of Eight Minnesota Counties, explores different ways counties serve teen parents and their children who participate in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP). MFIP provides low-income families with cash and food assistance for a maximum of 60 months while they progress toward self-sufficiency. While the state supervises MFIP, each county administers the program for its residents. To find out more about how they do this, Minnesota Department of Human Services staff selected eight counties to visit. The research team interviewed financial workers, employment counselors, social workers, public health nurses, child care workers and teachers who work directly with teens, as well as some of their managers. The report concludes with recommendations about what teen parents need.

Report examines cases at 60-month limit

The report, At the Limit: December 2010 Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Cases that Reached the 60-Month Time Limit, is the fifth in a series of annual reports that focuses on a one-month snapshot of cases at their lifetime limit of MFIP receipt. It looks at two groups: 1) all cases that already have 60 counted months and continue to receive MFIP and 2) cases that reached their 60^th counted month in the report month, December 2010. It identifies the total number of adults who became ineligible due to the time limit; compares the characteristics of eligible adults who have reached their lifetime limit to those with fewer than 60 months; gives the reasons that those in the first group continue to receive MFIP, and where these families reside; describes what happens to families in relation to MFIP in the month after they reach month 60; and describes assistance and employment outcomes for these families in their first six months after reaching the time limit.

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