Opting out of MFIP cash

Families may choose to “opt out” of the cash and MFIP Housing Assistance Grant portions of MFIP to stop months from counting against their 60 months of lifetime eligibility for MFIP cash benefits. These families still receive the food portion of MFIP benefits, work with Employment Services and can return to receiving cash benefits if they choose.

Families who receive the food portion of MFIP benefits are still considered MFIP recipients and continue to be eligible for child care assistance under the MFIP/DWP subprogram.

Two-parent households when only one parent is on MFIP

In some two-parent households, one parent is on MFIP and the other parent is not included in the MFIP grant. Examples include when one parent receives SSI or when one parent has been disqualified from MFIP for fraud. These families receive MFIP/DWP child care. The parent that is not included on the MFIP grant meets eligibility and authorized activity requirements.

The parent that is not included on the MFIP grant must:

OR

MFIP relative caregiver (Optional Unit Members)

Some people may choose to be in the MFIP assistance unit when they live with mandatory members of the unit. These people are “Optional Unit Members.” Optional members include a non-parental eligible caregiver and the spouse of the non-parental eligible caregiver, if there is not a natural or adoptive parent or stepparent in the minor child’s home.

If the non-parental caregiver chooses not to be in the MFIP assistance unit, meaning not to be on the MFIP grant, the subprogram for the family is Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) child care. If the non-parental caregiver is in the MFIP assistance unit, the subprogram for the family is MFIP/DWP child care.

MFIP fraud disqualifications and convictions

All parents in MFIP household have been fraud disqualified

In a one-parent household, do not approve MFIP/DWP child care if the parent has been disqualified from MFIP due to MFIP fraud (unless the family qualifies for CCAP Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families). In a two-parent household, do not approve MFIP child care assistance under the MFIP/DWP subprogram for families when both parents have been disqualified from MFIP due to MFIP fraud (unless the family qualifies for CCAP Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families).

Under the CCAP Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families, a caregiver that receives an MFIP Child Only grant who has a verified mental health diagnosis and a child care recommendation is eligible for CCAP under the MFIP child care subprogram.

When all parents in the MFIP household have been fraud disqualified (and the family does not qualify for CCAP Mental Health Support for MFIP Child Only Families), assess eligibility for the Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) subprogram:

Two-parent household in which only one parent has been fraud disqualified

If the family includes two parents and only one parent has been disqualified for MFIP fraud, see information in the “Two-parent households when only one parent is on MFIP” section above.

MFIP extensions

MFIP participants who have reached their 60-month lifetime limit may be eligible for an extension of MFIP if they meet a hardship extension category. Extended MFIP participants must sign and continue to follow an Employment Plan. The family continues to be eligible for MFIP/DWP child care subprogram when MFIP is extended.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statutes 142E.08
Minnesota Statutes 142E.01
Minnesota Statutes 256J
Minnesota Rules 3400.0080