Employed families who are moving to another child care assistance subprogram during their 12-month eligibility period are not subject to minimum work requirements.

Students on MFIP moving to Transition Year or BSF

When a student has education approved in their MFIP Employment Plan prior to moving to Transition Year or BSF, child care continues for the education activity approved in the MFIP employment plan until education outside of an employment plan is approved based on education criteria included in the county or tribal fund plan or until redetermination. The education plan approval process may take some time to complete so it is beneficial for the student to begin the approval process prior to the redetermination. If the student does not complete the education plan approval process or the education plan is not approved by the county or tribe, authorization of the education program ends at redetermination.

If a student has a post-baccalaureate education program, which includes education programs beyond a bachelor’s degree such as a master’s program, approved in their MFIP Employment Plan and then the family moved to Transition Year, child care continues for the post-baccalaureate education program until the family’s next redetermination.

Note: MEC² functionality incorrectly determines the subprogram for student parents on MFIP who move to Transition Year. To get Transition Year results for student parents, follow instructions in the MEC² User Manual for “MFIP Student Parent Switches to Transition Year .”

Students on BSF, Transition Year, or Transition Year Extension who start receiving MFIP

When a student receiving BSF, Transition Year or Transition Year Extension has an approved education plan and then starts receiving MFIP, child care continues for the education program until it is included in an employment plan. If the education program is not included in the employment plan or the student has not developed an employment plan by their next redetermination, authorization for the education program ends at redetermination.

MFIP closing and Transition Year

Families must have received MFIP or DWP for at least one of the six months prior to the closing of their cash assistance case to be eligible for Transition Year.

A parent eligible for Transition Year must receive Transition Year, including parents under 21 years old pursing a high school diploma or general equivalence diploma (GED) who meet Transition Year requirements.

Note: MEC² functionality incorrectly determines the BSF subprogram for parents under 21 years old pursing a high school diploma or GED who are eligible for Transition Year. To get Transition Year results for a parent under 21 years old who is pursuing a high school diploma or GED, follow instructions in the MEC² User Manual for “Student Parent Under 21 Attending High School or GED Eligible for Transition Year.”

If a family meets the requirement of having received MFIP or DWP for at least one out of the six months before their cash assistance closes, eligibility continues when moving from MFIP to Transition Year.

If the parent’s activity is employment and/or education, continue the family’s authorization. The authorization cannot be reduced.

If the family had an employment plan that only included support activities or activity participation is unknown, care continues to be authorized at the same level under Extended Eligibility.

Change in subprogram during Temporary Ineligible status

If a family is scheduled for a subprogram change when the family is in Temporary Ineligible status, MEC² suppresses the program switch due to the Temporary Ineligible status. The family is eligible for the new subprogram, but the subprogram switch cannot be approved until the family becomes eligible again. The family still has up to 90 days to become eligible during the temporary ineligibility period.

Changes in subprogram and MFIP Child Care for Student Parents

For subprogram changes for families that meet criteria for MFIP Child Care for Student Parents, See Chapter 4.3.15.6. (MFIP Child Care for Student Parents-Subprogram Changes).

Legal Authority

Minnesota Statutes 142E.01, subd. 27
Minnesota Statutes 142E.12, subd. 3
Minnesota Rules 3400.0090