MFIP for Parents Under Age 18

If you are under 18 and want MFIP, the rule is that you have to live:

• With one or both parents (the county may use a parent’s income to calculate your MFIP grant)
• With a legal guardian
• With an approved adult relative (like a grandmother, aunt, uncle)
• In an adult-supervised living arrangement

But this rule does not count if:

• You don’t have a parent, proper adult relative, or guardian or don’t know where they are, OR
   
• You lived away from your parents or guardian for a year before your child was born, OR
   
• You lived away from your parents or guardian for a year before you applied for MFIP, OR
   
• Your parents, guardian, or adult relative will not let you live with them, OR
   
• You or your child’s physical or emotional health or safety is in danger if you live with a parent, relative or guardian. If you claim this, the county refers your case to Child Protection, OR
   
• There is no adult-supervised place for you in the county where you live. If one becomes available, you and your child must live there. 
   

These situations are called exceptions. If you meet any of these exceptions, the county can ask you to live in adult-supervised, supportive living, but they can’t make you.

If you are under 18 and do not have a high school diploma or GED, you probably have to go to school to get MFIP. 

But you don’t have to go to school if:

• You can’t get transportation
• You can’t get childcare
• You are ill or so seriously disabled that you can’t go to school
• You are needed at home because someone there is ill or disabled
• Your child is less than 6 weeks old 
• It’s not safe for you to go to school because of domestic violence

If you are under 18, the county must make an education plan for you. They must look at your education needs, skills, family issues, childcare needs, and work history to make the plan. You must follow the education plan, or you will be “sanctioned.” 

Sanctioned means losing some of your MFIP money. You lose 10% of your MFIP the first month. Then you lose 30% the next month. Your benefits are 30% less every month until you fix the problem. 

It is very important to get out of sanction as soon as possible. If you are in sanction for more than 6 months, you get a 100% sanction. This means they close your MFIP cash and food support.

If you are 18 or 19 years old and do not have a high school education or GED, you can either go to school or do an Employment Plan. See our fact sheet MFIP Employment Plans.

You can only get MFIP as a parent for a total of 60 months (5 years) in your life. 

But if you are under 20 years old and meet school attendance rules, your time on MFIP won’t count toward the 60 months. 

Also, any months you got MFIP through your parents does not count. Call your legal aid office at 1-(877) 696-6529 to ask about how to extend your 60-month limit.

You can appeal a decision by the county if you disagree with it. You have 30 days from the date you get the notice to file an appeal. Call your legal aid office at 1-(877) 696-6529 right away.

You can get full benefits during the appeal if you send the appeal

• Within 10 days of the date the county mails the notice or
• Before the date the termination or cut starts.

If you have “good cause” for being late, you can appeal up to 90 days after the notice. An example of good cause is being sick or out of town when the notice came. 

There are 2 ways to get your appeal in: 

Online:

You can fill out a form and submit your appeal online.  Go to: https://mn.gov/dhs/. 

• Click on the “How do I” box towards top of page
• Under “Find” click on “edocs and forms”
• Make sure the box is checked for your language
• Type 0033 in the search bar

There are instructions also if you want to read those. Read the form carefully, fill it out completely and click "Submit" on the bottom right. It is a good idea to print a copy for yourself.

By mail or fax:

You can write a letter, and mail or fax it. Say you want to appeal an MFIP decision and why. Make sure you put your case number and the date on your letter. Keep a copy for yourself. The papers they sent you should have the address and fax number you need. 

For more information see our fact sheet, Benefits Appeals to DHS.