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Meeker County Health and Human Services presents MFIP review and child-support accounting updates
Summary
HHS staff reviewed the county's biennial Minnesota Family Investment Program service agreement and gave an overview of child-support operations and accounting reimbursements, prompting the board to approve the MFIP agreement.
Meeker County Health and Human Services staff told commissioners on Tuesday that the county completed a required 30-day public review of its Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) biennial service agreement and received no public comments; the board subsequently approved the 2026–2027 MFIP agreement and authorized submission to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Tina Schenk, Meeker County Health and Human Services director, told the board the MFIP service agreement outlines how the county coordinates employment and support services for MFIP participants and that the state requires a biennial review. “Our services are designed to help people move off of this program,” Schenk said, adding the agreement coordinates county efforts with Minnesota Jobs and Training and other state partners to help families obtain employment, childcare and related supports.
County child-support staff gave a separate presentation summarizing program operations and accounting functions. Jenny Dale, child-support and accounting unit supervisor, described the child-support unit as four staff in child support and four accounting technicians who process claims and grants. Accounting technician Jenny Michalicek said the accounting unit submits insurance-reimbursement and targeted-case-management claims to Medical Assistance (MA), PrimeWest and Blue Plus and tracks grant reporting to the state.
Key figures presented to the board included county reimbursement collections and child-support payment totals. Staff reported that Meeker County collected just over $2.7 million in MA/PrimeWest/Blue Plus reimbursements in 2024 and about $2.5 million year-to-date in 2025. Child-support staff reported a total dispersed payment amount of over $2.9 million for the year, roughly 820 children served, and 41% of participants registered to view their cases online.
Program scope and limits were clarified during questions: the child-support office enforces court-ordered child-support obligations (basic support, medical support and childcare support) and pursues paternity, orders and collections; it does not provide divorce, custody or parenting-time legal services. Child-support staff explained that when medical-support or childcare-support obligations correspond to state programs such as MA or childcare assistance, related collections can be passed through to the state per program rules; MFIP “pass through” rules were also described — participants receive current-month payments, while arrears may go to the state.
Why it matters: The MFIP agreement governs how county HHS coordinates state employment-and-support services for families with minor children. Accounting and child-support collection activity affects county cash flow and service continuity; staff said reimbursements and collections make a measurable contribution to county program budgets.
What the board decided: Following the presentation and a 30-day public comment period that closed with no submissions, the board adopted the MFIP 2026–2027 biennial service agreement and authorized HHS to submit it to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
