The Minnesota Family Investment Program at 5 years

1
The Minnesota Family Investment Program at 5
years

• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
• September 10, 2002
• Chuck Johnson
• Minnesota Department of Human Services

2
MFIP Lessons at five years

• MFIP is working well for most families
• A portion of families face significant challenges
• 60-month extension policy works, but
  administration is complex

3
36 months of MFIP shows progress
Of 42,000 cases with an adult in July 1998, 36
months later in July 2001
4
Those who have left welfare are faring well

• 75 are working
• Workers earn over 9 an hour
• Income for leavers is 161 of poverty level

5
How many families are reaching the time limit?

• 1,300 so far
• 100 before July 1
• 900 on July 1
• 300 in August
• Estimate 3,300 total for FY 2003

6
Only a small portion reach the time limit

• Only 2 of cases on assistance in July 1997, when
  the time limit began, reach the time limit 5
  years later
• Minnesota is not close to the 20 hardship
  extensions allowed in federal law

7
Families reaching time limit face challenges

• Compared to the rest of the MFIP cases, they are
• more likely to be people of color
• less educated
• have larger families
• have an SSI child
• live in an urban area

8
Three primary extension categories

• Ill/incapacitated or caring for ill/incapacitated
• Hard to employ (MI, MR, LD, Low IQ,
  unemployable, family violence)
• Working 30 hours/week for single parent

9
Time limit experience so far

• 1,300 families have reached the time limit
• 63 had been extended
• 33 had lost MFIP eligibility
• 4 had another disposition (most became child
  only cases)

10
Reasons for extensions

• Ill or incapacitated 327
• Hard-to-employ 359
• Working 105

11
Looking to the future

• Identifying problems earlier
• Maintaining MFIPs success for most families
• Realigning TANF budget