Item Description:
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Approval for Biennial Service Agmt A2311990 for the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) 01/01/24-12/31/25
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the county board approves the Biennial Service Agreement A2311990 for the Minnesota Family Investment Program for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025 to be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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Background:
Every two years the county submits a Biennial Service Agreement for Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) that summarizes the services available to persons on MFIP and identified special populations acknowledged by data-driven reports and community-informed needs. The MFIP program is funded by the MFIP Consolidated Fund, using state and federally allocated funds. MFIP is intended to help parents meet their family’s basic needs and move toward financial stability through work.
Total funding amounts for the upcoming biennium includes a slight increase then the funding received in 2023:
2022: $33,785,212
2023: $33,785,212
2024: $34,356,304
The MFIP Consolidated Fund Allocation is funded with 8% state funds and 92% federal and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds and paid quarterly.
By focusing on outcomes in the employment domain, the County is working to impact the employment and income stability of residents, building towards the overall economic development of the County. The current priority of the employment domain effort is understanding and addressing the benefits cliff and the implications it has on residents' ability to be financially self-sufficient. A benefits cliff can be identified as the point in time where employer paid wages puts an individual over the income limits for a specific assistance program (e.g., SNAP, Cash, housing grant, medical coverage, etc.).
The county has developed a process and trained personnel to utilize the Racial Equity Impact Tool as a mechanism to engage with the community to make more informed choices in service delivery, recruiting leaders at all levels to guide facilitation in using this tool. The county has created a community of practice to support this new work around the benefits cliff and disparity reduction. This effort is driven by community feedback and has included review of program data by race to understand the impacts on disparities.
This board action request aligns with Hennepin County disparity reduction efforts by helping families with children meet their basic needs, while helping parents move to financial stability through work.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval