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MFIP policies include special provisions for participants experiencing family violence.

The Family Violence Waiver ensures that participants experiencing family violence receive employment plans and services that make their safety a priority.

· To ensure that happens eligibility workers and employment counselors must inform all participants about the options available to people experiencing family violence.

What eligibility workers do:

· Provide everyone applying for or receiving public assistance a brochure about Domestic Violence Information (DHS-3477) (PDF), which describes what family violence is.

· Tell participants a family violence referral form is available for them to indicate that they want help for or information about family violence. See 8.6 (The Family Violence Referral Form).

· Not count months for the MFIP 60-month time limit when a family violence waiver is in effect. See 18.3 (The 60-Month Time Limit Policy).

What employment services agencies must do:

· Explain the family violence wavier.

· Give participants a family violence referral form, see See 8.6 (The Family Violence Referral Form).

· Ensure someone trained in and specializing in family violence is available to participants. See 8.21 (Family Violence Specialists).

· Offer participants experiencing family violence an employment plan that prioritizes safety and that offers safety activities and services.

· Discuss family violence each time the employment plan is revised or reviewed. Be aware that people experiencing family violence may be reluctant to raise the issue.

Family violence is an act or a combination of acts such as:

· Physical harm.

· Bodily injury or assault.

· The infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault.

· Terroristic threats.

· Criminal sexual conduct committed against or committed by a family or household member.

· Interference with an emergency call.

For family violence purposes, family or household members are:

· Spouses and former spouses.

· Parents and children.

· People related by blood.

· People who are residing together or who have resided together in the past.

· People who have a child in common whether or not they have been married or have lived together at any time.

· A man and a woman if the woman is pregnant and the man is alleged to be the father, whether or not they have been married or have lived together at any time.

· People involved in a current or past significant romantic or sexual relationship.

Participants with a family violence waiver:

· Should be in the Family Stabilization Services track for MFIP.

· Should not be in the Diversionary Work Program. See 20.27 (Family Violence Waiver & DWP).

Child Support also grants good cause to participants unable to help with child support enforcement because of family violence. See 19.51 (Child Support Sanctions).