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Minnesota Family Investment Program Minnesota House Research Department Page 2 Administration Congress With passage of the 1996 federal welfare reform law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (Pub. L. No. 104-193), Congress eliminated the federal AFDC entitlement program and replaced it with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a block grant program to states. Under TANF, each state receives a block grant of federal funds that it must use to assist its needy families. Each state has the authority to design its own program to assist these families, although there are specific requirements in the federal TANF law that apply to all state programs. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) DHHS administers the TANF block grant program. DHHS approves state TANF plans and monitors states’ compliance with the various requirements of the federal law. Minnesota State Legislature The Minnesota Legislature authorized MFIP in the 1997 session. MFIP is Minnesota’s TANF program; it is Minnesota’s response to the welfare reform authority granted by Congress. The program uses the state’s annual federal TANF block grant and state appropriations to provide income assistance, employment and training services, and support services to eligible Minnesota families. State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) DCYF directs the operation of MFIP throughout the state by issuing implementation instructions to counties, providing training for county staff, providing other technical support to counties, and assisting in eligibility and benefits determination through its centralized MAXIS computer system.1 Counties Counties administer MFIP. The county agency conducts intake and eligibility screenings, including orientations to the program. It also provides case management and assists MFIP participants in their employment and training efforts and meeting the other program requirements. Tribal TANF Programs The federal TANF law authorizes American Indian Tribes to apply for federal TANF funds to operate a Tribal TANF family assistance program that is separate from the state’s program. Two Minnesota Tribes, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians,

1 Prior to July 1, 2024, MFIP was administered by the Department of Human Services.