Bill Text: MN SF2552 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Minnesota family investment program (MFIP) family stabilization services modifications

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-23 - Referred to Health and Human Services [SF2552 Detail]

Download: Minnesota-2011-SF2552-Introduced.html

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A bill for an act

relating to human services; modifying family stabilization services;amending
Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivisions 1, 2, 5, 6, 8.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:
    Subdivision 1. Purpose. (a) The Family stabilization services serve families who
are not making significant progress within the regular employment and training services
track of the Minnesota family investment program (MFIP) due to a variety of barriers to
employment.
    (b) The goal of the services is to stabilize and improve the lives of families at risk
of long-term welfare dependency or family instability due to employment barriers such
as physical disability, mental disability, age, or providing care for a disabled household
member. These services promote and support families to achieve the greatest possible
degree of self-sufficiency.

    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
    Subd. 2. Definitions. The terms used in this section have the meanings given them
in paragraphs (a) to (d) and (b).
    (a) "Case manager" means the county-designated staff person or employment
services counselor.
    (b) "Case management" "Family stabilization services" means the services
programs, activities, and services provided by or through the county agency or through the
employment services agency to participating families, including. Services include, but
are not limited to, assessment as defined in section 256J.521, subdivision 1, information,
referrals, and assistance in the preparation and implementation of a family stabilization
plan under subdivision 5.
    (c) (b) "Family stabilization plan" means a plan developed by a case manager
and with the participant, which identifies the participant's most appropriate path to
unsubsidized employment, family stability, and barrier reduction, taking into account the
family's circumstances.
    (d) "Family stabilization services" means programs, activities, and services in this
section that provide participants and their family members with assistance regarding,
but not limited to:
    (1) obtaining and retaining unsubsidized employment;
    (2) family stability;
    (3) economic stability; and
    (4) barrier reduction.
    The goal of the services is to achieve the greatest degree of economic self-sufficiency
and family well-being possible for the family under the circumstances.

    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
    Subd. 5. Case management; Family stabilization plans; coordinated services.
    (a) The county agency or employment services provider shall provide family stabilization
services to families through a case management model. A case manager shall be assigned
to each participating family within 30 days after the family is determined to be eligible
for family stabilization services. The case manager, with the full involvement of the
participant, shall recommend, and the county agency shall establish and modify as
necessary, a family stabilization plan for each participating family. Once a participant
has been determined eligible for family stabilization services, the county agency or
employment services provider must attempt to meet with the participant to develop a
plan within 30 days.
(b) If a participant is already assigned to a county case manager or a
county-designated case manager in social services, disability services, or housing services
that case manager already assigned may be the case manager for purposes of these services.
    (b) The family stabilization plan must include:
    (1) each participant's plan for long-term self-sufficiency, including an employment
goal where applicable;
    (2) an assessment of each participant's strengths and barriers, and any special
circumstances of the participant's family that impact, or are likely to impact, the
participant's progress towards the goals in the plan; and
    (3) an identification of the services, supports, education, training, and
accommodations needed to reduce or overcome any barriers to enable the family to
achieve self-sufficiency and to fulfill each caregiver's personal and family responsibilities.
    (c) The case manager and the participant shall meet within 30 days of the family's
referral to the case manager. The initial family stabilization plan must be completed within
30 days of the first meeting with the case manager. The case manager shall establish a
schedule for periodic review of the family stabilization plan that includes personal contact
with the participant at least once per month. In addition, the case manager shall review
and, if necessary, modify the plan under the following circumstances:
    (1) there is a lack of satisfactory progress in achieving the goals of the plan;
    (2) the participant has lost unsubsidized or subsidized employment;
    (3) a family member has failed or is unable to comply with a family stabilization
plan requirement;
    (4) services, supports, or other activities required by the plan are unavailable;
    (5) changes to the plan are needed to promote the well-being of the children; or
    (6) the participant and case manager determine that the plan is no longer appropriate
for any other reason. Participants determined eligible for family stabilization services must
have access to employment and training services under sections 256J.515 to 256J.575, to
the extent these services are available to other MFIP participants.

    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
    Subd. 6. Cooperation with services requirements. (a) A participant who is eligible
for family stabilization services under this section shall comply with paragraphs (b) to (d).
    (b) Participants shall engage in family stabilization plan services for the appropriate
number of hours per week that the activities are scheduled and available, based on the
needs of the participant and the participant's family, unless good cause exists for not
doing so, as defined in section 256J.57, subdivision 1. The appropriate number of hours
must be based on the participant's plan.
    (c) The case manager shall review the participant's progress toward the goals in the
family stabilization plan every six months to determine whether conditions have changed,
including whether revisions to the plan are needed.
    (d) A participant's requirement to comply with any or all family stabilization plan
requirements under this subdivision is excused when the case management services,
training and educational services, or family support services identified in the participant's
family stabilization plan are unavailable for reasons beyond the control of the participant,
including when money appropriated is not sufficient to provide the services.

    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.575, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
    Subd. 8. Funding. (a) The commissioner of human services shall treat MFIP
expenditures made to or on behalf of any minor child under this section, who is part of a
household that meets criteria in subdivision 3, as expenditures under a separately funded
state program. These expenditures shall not count toward the state's maintenance of effort
requirements under the federal TANF program.
    (b) A family is no longer part of a separately funded program under this section if
the caregiver no longer meets the criteria for family stabilization services in subdivision
3, or if it is determined at recertification that a caregiver with a child under the age of six
is working at least 87 hours per month in paid or unpaid employment, or a caregiver
without a child under the age of six is working at least 130 hours per month in paid or
unpaid employment, whichever occurs sooner.