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County staff outline MFIP sanction changes and strong performance on SNAP/Cash applications
Summary
Income Maintenance staff said MFIP sanction reforms took effect May 1, reducing some sanctions for Employment Services and Child Support; Watonwan processed 97.8% of SNAP/Cash applications timely in 2025, above regional and state averages.
Income Maintenance lead Jodi Halvorson briefed the board on MFIP sanction reform changes that went into effect May 1: Employment Services sanctions were reduced from a 30% reduction of cash/food benefits to a 5% reduction of cash benefits only; Child Support sanctions were reduced from 30% to 25% of cash benefits only. Halvorson said counties have expressed concern the reduced sanctions may lessen incentives for client cooperation.
Halvorson also reported the 2025 performance measures showing Watonwan County processed 97.8% of SNAP and Cash applications timely, compared with a regional average of 94.5% and a state average of 84.3%. Staff are completing required trainings to ensure ADA compliance with court orders; the compliance deadline was extended by one year.
