2019 Program Report: Cash Assistance

The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), Diversionary Work Program (DWP), and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Employment and Training Program (SNAP E&T) are three public assistance programs that share a common goal of helping families to achieve wellness and economic stability and exit cash assistance.

Employment counselors support individuals and families who receive food and cash assistance as they work to achieve their career goals. Cash assistance is available for eligible pregnant women, single individuals without children and
low-income families with minor children. In most cases, eligible residents receiving temporary cash assistance must engage in work and/or educational activities

Cash Assistance:

• Minnesota Family Investment Program — supports families with children.
• Diversionary Work Program — supports families with children within the first four months of assistance.
• Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Employment and Training Program — supports adults without children.

Learn more about Cash Assistance

Focus on employment services for families on public assistance

Workforce Solutions continues to pursue evidence-based or informed approaches to offer responsive interventions that support everyone in the household to achieve wellness and long-term upward mobility. Through new and ongoing partnerships, the following intervention programs were started in 2018:

• The People’s Fellowship Program (TPF) - focus will be on serving African-American families.
• The Reliable Opportunities Advance Dads Support (ROADS) program - will offer services and support to African-American fathers.

The two programs demonstrate how Workforce Solutions consistently looks at developing programs and interventions to improve racial equity outcomes in Ramsey County.

The People’s Fellowship – Workforce Solutions is one of the partners of The Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood’s 2 Generation intervention called The People’s Fellowship. Launched in fall 2018, TPF is piloting a model for intra-governmental collaboration that infuses community-based input with the goal of promoting better coordination that supports family power and self-determination. The first cohort of 22 adults and 20 children on or eligible for public assistance from the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood are receiving information and resources to develop solutions around family stability, housing, wealth building and income boosters, academic success and employment.

Reliable Opportunities Advance Dads Support - The ROADS program is a Ramsey County interdepartmental collaboration between Workforce Solutions and the Child Support Services (CSS) office. Launched in fall 2018, ROADS connects fathers to career coaching, employment opportunities and training, and additional parenting and life skills so that they are more supportive in the life of their child. Through participation in the program, the CSS office offers positive alternatives to come into compliance with child support orders.