YOUR MFIP GRANT IS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE ON
___________________
You are in your 5th month of 30% sanction. Your MFIP case will be closed if you have
had more than six months of sanction since July 2003. You will not have MFIP funds
to support your family.
How to cure your sanction – Contact your Job Counselor.
You may cure your sanction if:
 You can show that what you are doing now doing is a pre-employment activity.
 You are working with another agency on goals. You may be able to count it toward
your MFIP activities.
Some examples of other activities would be: parenting education, chemical
dependency treatment, mental health services, dislocated worker services, literacy
programs, volunteer work. These are just a few examples. It is important to call your
Job Counselor about your situation.
You may cure your sanction for other reasons, such as:
GOOD CAUSE EXCEPTIONS
You may have a good cause exception. A list of MFIP good cause reasons for not
cooperating with MFIP employment services is enclosed. Please read it. Contact your
Job Counselor or Human Services Representative (HSR) Team if you have one of the
reasons. Your Job Counselor needs to know why you are not working on your MFIP
goals. Your Job Counselor has resources to help you and may be able to lift your
sanction.
FAMILY VIOLENCE
It may be hard to work on your MFIP goals if there is violence at home. You may not feel
safe at home. Enclosed is a packet about the MFIP Family Violence Waiver. Please read
the packet. Call your Job Counselor for more information. Your sanction can be lifted if
you have an approved Family Violence Waiver. Call one of the agencies listed on the
resource list if you need help now.
----------------------------------------
RESOURCES TO HELP YOUR FAMILY
Find out about other places to help you meet the needs of your family. This may include
food and medical needs. CALL the United Way First Call for Help at 651-291-0211.
Ask for the names and numbers of places near you.
APPEALS
You can appeal the decision to sanction your MFIP grant. If you wish to appeal send a
written notice to the county agency. Or send it to the State Appeals Office, Department of
Human Services, 444 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4813. You may also contact
Legal Aid for help in appealing this action. Their number is 612-334-5970.
Sanction notice inserts 2/3/11
ENCLOSURES: Good cause exception list, Family violence waiver sheets
GOOD CAUSE REASONS
FOR NOT COOPERATING
WITH MFIP EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Contact your Job Counselor if you fit into one of the following categories
and want to claim good cause. For more information, contact your Job
Counselor.
1. You were not able to find appropriate child care.
2. The job you had was not “suitable” for one of the following reasons:
 You were not physically or mentally able to do the job
 The job paid less than minimum wage.
 The job violated health and safety standards.
 You were subjected to discrimination on the job.
3. You are ill or injured.
4. A family member (or a foster child) in your home is ill and needs you to
care for them. This keeps you from complying.
5. You are unable to find the transportation you need.
6. You have an emergency situation that prevents you from complying with
your Employment Plan.
7. The activities in your Employment Plan conflict with a judicial
proceeding.
8. You were scheduled to attend a mandatory MFIP meeting during a time
that conflicts with a judicial proceeding or a meeting related to a juvenile
court matter, or your work schedule.
9. You are already participating in acceptable work activities.
10. The activities identified in the Employment Plan are not available.
11. You are willing to accept a suitable job, but none are available.
12. There are other reasons beyond your control that prevented you from
complying. You can verify the reason for not complying.
13. You are under the age of 20. Your Employment Plan requires an
educational program that is not available.
14. You have information to indicate you may be qualify for Family
Stabilization Services (FSS) and are working with the County and/or
your job counselor to obtain the documentation to determine if you are
eligible.
6/17/2010 Send with NOITS
Case #
Worker:
Phone:
Fax:
TDD:
FAMILY VIOLENCE REFERRAL
This information is available in other forms to people with disabilities by calling your
county worker. For TDD users, contact your county worker through the Minnesota Relay
at 711 or 1-800-627-3529. For the Speech-to-Speech Relay, call 1-877-627-3848.
Purpose:
This form tells victims of domestic abuse how to get help.
Help for Domestic Abuse:

If you or someone in your home is a victim of domestic abuse the county can help
you.
If you want to know more or want to stop abuse you can talk to your worker or
contact:
Agency: See list on page 5
Telephone
Street address
City



State
ZIP
Some of the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) rules do not apply
to domestic abuse victims. You must tell us about the abuse and have a special
employment plan that includes activities to help keep your family safe. Please talk to
your worker or an advocate if you want to know about this.
If you have used 60 months of MFIP you may be able to get more months. Please talk
to your worker or an advocate if you want to know about this.
You can also call the national domestic violence hot line at 1-800-799-7233 or
Legal Aid at 1-888-354-5522.
Non-citizens:
If you are not a United States Citizen, but are married to a United States citizen or a legal
permanent resident, and you are a victim of domestic abuse you may be able to get help
to get permanent residency. Tell your worker if you think you are one of these people. If
you qualify, your worker will tell you how to get legal help.
Contact the agency below for help getting permanent residence status.
Agency: Oficina Legal
Telephone: 651-641-1011
Agency: Centro Legal
Telephone:
(651) 642-1890
DHS 3323 HC12817- Hennepin County 362 (F-K- 9.0) (4/07)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INFORMATION
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence is what someone says or does to make you feel afraid or to control you. The
following are examples of domestic violence:








Swearing or screaming at you
Threatening to hurt you or others you care about
Calling you names
Not letting you leave your house
Blaming you for everything that goes wrong
Forcing you to have sex
Choking, grabbing, punching or kicking you
Smashing or breaking things
What services are available to victims of domestic violence?
Toll-free Hotlines have counselors who provide services, such as:






Crisis counseling
Safety Planning
Assistance with finding shelter
Referral to other organizations such as legal services
Support groups
Advocacy with the police.
If you are in danger from domestic violence and need help, call the National Domestic Abuse
Hotline at (800) 799-7233, (TTY/TDD: (800) 787-3224) or the Minnesota Coalition for Battered
Women at (800) 289-6177. The Minnesota Domestic Violence Crisis phone number is (800)
223-1111.
What are domestic violence waivers?
If you are eligible for public assistance and you experience domestic violence, certain program
requirements may be temporarily waived, meaning they may not apply in your situation.
Waivers are available for eligible public assistance applicants who apply for the following
programs: Food support (FS), General Assistance (GA), General Assistance Medical Care
(GAMC), Diversionary Work Program (DWP, Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP),
Medical Assistance (MA) and MinnesotaCare.
Waivers of Food Support Program Rules
This brochure must be given to all households that apply for Food Support, whose available
assets are less than $7,000, and whose gross income is less than Food Support Program limits.
The value of vehicles/cars is not used when determining your eligibility for Food Support.
Waivers of DWP/MFIP rules
The Diversionary Work Program and the MFIP Family Investment Program has a Family
Violence Waiver for people who are victims of domestic violence. If you or your child is a
victim of past or current domestic violence, you may be able to get a Family Violence Waiver.
With a DWP waiver you may not need to follow all employment rules. With an MFIP waiver you
will not have to follow these MFIP rules:


You may not need to follow all employment rules
You will be exempt from the 60-month welfare time limit while you have this waiver.
To get a Family violence Waiver you must do these things:
1. Tell you county worker you want an MFIP Family Violence Waiver.
2. Show that the violence occurred by giving your county worker any of these items:







Medical records
A statement from a battered women’s advocate or a sexual assault advocate
A statement from a professional – like a doctor, nurse, clergy, counselor, social
worker – who you told about the abuse.
A statement from someone – like a neighbor, family member or co-worker – who
knows about the abuse
Photos of injuries or damage to your property
A policy report
A copy of a restraining order (order for protection or harassment order)
3. Develop and follow an employment plan that includes activities to keep you safe.
If you need help getting any of these items, talk to a domestic violence advocate or your county
worker.
What is an employment plan?
You employment plan is developed with a person trained in domestic violence prevention and a
job counselor or a county worker. The plan will take your situation into account and include
activities to help you become employed. The plan will:
 Make the safety of you and your children a priority
 Include only work and training activities if they are safe for you and your children.
 Be sure you really can meet the goals in your employment plan before you agree to it.
The employment plan does not guarantee your safety. When an abuser chooses to abuse,
sometimes you cannot stop the abuse no matter what you do. Only you know what you can do.
Only you know how dangerous your abuser is. If you need to change the plan or cannot follow it,
contact your county worker as soon as possible.
Other important things to know:

If you do not follow the plan, you may be sanctioned. This means your DWP or MFIP grant
may be reduced or closed.


If you have questions about the DWP or MFIP Family Violence Waiver, call the Minnesota
Coalition for Battered Women at (800) 289-6177 (this is not a crisis number). If you are
having a crisis, call: (651) 646 0994.
If you are denied a waiver, or if your waiver is canceled, you can appeal. You may be able to
get legal advice or help with an appeal from your local Legal Aid office. Call (888) 3545522.
How do I appeal?
If you do not agree with the action the county takes on your application, tell your county worker.
Ask the worker to explain the reasons for the action. You may see the policy manuals, rules or
laws that give the reasons for the action. If you still do not agree, you may appeal. Your county
worker will help you ask for an appeal hearing or contact: Minnesota Department of Human
Services, Appeals Office, PO Box 64941, St. Paul, MN 55164-0941. Phone numbers: Metro
(651) 431-3600 (voice), Outstare: (800) 657-3510.
You should bring any facts to the hearing that will help you explain why you do not agree. You
may bring a friend or a lawyer. If you want a lawyer, ask your worker for information about free
legal services. You may bring people to the hearing to give information about the facts. After
you and the county have talked about your case, the Human Services judge will decide the case.
You will get the decision in the mail. If you are still not satisfied, you have 30 days to appeal to
the state district court.
Your right to privacy
Most of the time, the facts asked for by the human service office are called “private”. This means
that you may see facts about yourself, but they are not open to the public. Certain other
government agencies may use them too. You have the right to question what you think is wrong
in your file. For more facts about data privacy, ask your county worker or write the Minnesota
Department of Human Services.
If you have questions
For Questions about the MFIP Domestic Violence Waiver contact the human services office in
your county. For TTY/TDD service, all the Minnesota Relay at 711 or (800) 627-3529 and ask
them to call your county human services office. For the Speech-to-Speech Relay, call (877) 6273848.
Your right to file a complaint
If you feel the county or the Minnesota Department of Human services treated you differently in
the handling of a public assistance application or payment because of race, color, or national
origin, political beliefs, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation,, public assistance status, age or
disability (including access to buildings or programs), you may file a complaint with one or more
of these agencies:
Minnesota Department of Human Services, Office for Equal Opportunity, PO Box 64997, St.
Paul, MN 55164-0997. Phone: (651) 431-3040 (voice), (651) 431-3041 (TTY/TDD)
Minnesota Department of Human Rights, 190 East 5th Street, Suite 700, St. Paul, MN 55101.
Phones: (800) 657-3704 (voice), (651) 296-1283 (TYY/TDD)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Region V, 233 N.
Michigan Avenue, Suite 240, Chicago, IL 60601. Phone (312) 886-2359 (voice), (312) 353-5693
(TTY/TDD)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W. Whitten
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410. Phone (2020) 7205964 (voice or TTY/TDD)
This information is available in other forms to people with disabilities by calling your county
worker. Fro TTY/TDD users, contact your county worker through the Minnesota Relay at 711 or
(800) 627-3529. For the Speech-to-Speech Relay call (877) 627-3848.
DHS 3477 – Hennepin County 362 (F-K 8.7) (4/07)
AGENCIES THAT ASSIST WITH THE FAMILY VIOLENCE WAIVER
Many of the agencies serve a specific population and have limited staff/office hours.
Call to make an appointment
# = Agency assists women
* = Agency assists men
SHELTERS
PHONE
NUMBERS
Alexandra House
Ann Pierce Rogers
Casa de Esperanza
Central Minnesota Task Force for Battered Women
Cornerstone
Eagles Nest
Harriet Tubman
Hill Home
Home Free
Lewis House
Sojourner/Hopkins Project
The Women’s Center
Asian Women United/House of Peace
Missions Inc Programs
559-9008
LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAMS
Brian Coyle Center
Cornerstone Intervention (South Suburbs Only)
Harriet Tubman Legal Advocacy
Hennepin County Domestic Abuse Service Center
Home Free Community Programs (NW Hennepin County)
Minneapolis Intervention Project
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
763-780-2330
651-768-0216
651-772-1611
1-800-950-2203
952-884-0376
651-222-5836
612-825-0000
651-770-0777
763-559-4945
651-452-7288
952-933-7422
651-385-8600
612-724-8823
#
763-
#
*#
#
*#
#
*#
612-338-5282
952-884-0376
612-673-2244
612-348-5073
612-545-7080
612-673-3526
Project Peace (Crystal, Brooklyn Center, Maple Grove, Robbinsdale) 24 hour crisis # is 763-536-1850)
0733
Sojourner Community Advocates (West Suburbs)
*#
Sojourner Intervention (Hopkins, Minnetonka, St Louis Park)
#
Women Of Nations
#
COUNSELING AND REFERRAL
African American Family Services
#
Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) (Asian Families Only)
638-0700
Division Of Indian Worker (Native American Women, Men, Children)
*#
Domestic Abuse Project
#
Eastside Neighborhood Services
*#
Men’s Center
*
Outfront Minnesota
*#
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
*#
Sexual Violence Program (University of Minnesota, Mpls)
*#
Women’s Advocates
#
IMMIGRATION PROGRAMS
Centro Legal-Latino
Hennepin County 362 (F-K 7.9) (4/07)
*# 763-533952-935-1004
952-933-7422
651-222-5836
612-871-7878
#
612612-722-8722
612-874-7063
612-781-6011
612-822-5892
612-822-0127
612-374-4342
612-626-9111
651-227-8284
651-642-1890