The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is a comprehensive work-focused program that assists low income families to become self-sufficient through work. Parents are expected and supported to work through the help of Employment Services Providers. Hmong American Partnership works with MFIP participants to develop a customized plan that will prepare them to find and keep employment. HAP participants are further supported with transportation and childcare assistance.

• To encourage and enable all families to find employment.
• To help families increase their income and move out of poverty.
• To prevent long-term dependence on welfare as a primary source of family income.

Job placement services are part of HAP's Employment Services Program and are available to help MFIP participants and community members become successfully employed. The program provides an integrated range of options, including:

Employability Assessments – HAP determines language ability, job experience and transferable skills, interests, available jobs in the area of skills and interests, and individual barriers to employment, including language, child-care, transportation, and mental or health issues.

Job Search or Employment Plan – After each assessment, HAP develops an Individual Employment Plan that includes necessary language or job skills training, job search plan, job-upgrade plans, referrals for day-care, transportation, and needed mental or health services.

Job Counseling and Job Search – HAP provides one-to-one job counseling for its participants and offers assistance with resumes, cover letters, job applications, interview techniques and job orientation.

Workplace English classes – Work-focused English language education and workplace culture orientation for adults with limited English skills. Developed specifically for immigrant and refugee adults, the First Steps in Literacy and English for Daily Living curricula apply picture-based techniques to teach literacy, listening, and speaking skills.

Job Placement – HAP offers a variety of job placement services, including referrals to job opportunities and accompanying participants on interviews when necessary.

Job Retention – HAP provides extensive follow-up services for 90 days after participants are placed on the job. These services include cultural training for employers once the employees have been placed, and job coaching in the workplace. HAP continues to maintain contact with these participants on a less intensive level for 180 days.

Post-placement Follow-up – HAP maintains close relationships with participants, providing any post-placement follow-up services needed, including translation at the work-site, cultural conflict resolution, and future job upgrading.

Support Services – HAP provides directly, or helps participants access, transportation funds; daycare referral; and mental or other health care services when needed. Self-Sufficiency staff also provide referrals to other organizations as well as to other HAP programs when appropriate.

During the 2007 legislative session, a new Minnesota Family Investment Program

(MFIP) and Diversionary Work Program (DWP) service track called FamilyStabilization Services (FSS) was established. Family Stabilization Services means programs, activities, and services that provide participants and their family members with assistance to: get and keep employment, improve family stability; increase economic stability; and reduce barriers. FSS will serve families who are not making significant progress in MFIP or DWP due to a variety of barriers to employment.

Hmong American Partnership also has refugee programs to provide additional social services and employment support for newly arrived refugees. Helping refugees integrate into the workforce provides great returns in reducing or discontinuing reliance on public assistance, increasing earned wages and investing in our communities.

For more information or to find out if you are eligible for these services please call 651-495-9160.