Policy & Practice | Summer 2026

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By Dr. Katie Boone and Johanna Ramussen

Minnesota Family Investment Program Teen Parent Project: Centering Young Families for a Stronger Future

T he Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in Minnesota. The MFIP policy team at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families set out with a goal to develop a frame work for services to teen parents on MFIP that considers the lived experi ences of teen parents accessing these services and the available resources that can provide further insights on opportunities for a more impactful program and services for this popula tion. An RFP (request for proposal) for phase one of a long-term project was launched to identify a potential contractor to partner with the state team in September 2024. The con tractor was brought into the project in March 2025. The multiphase project is building a vision for a statewide system where every young family experiences consistent, compassionate, and culturally responsive support that prioritizes education, stability, and overall family well-being. Engagement sessions with teen parent MFIP partici pants occurred in August 2025 to help identify the strategic priority areas of phase two of the project over the course of five years. The team is cur rently working on approving an RFP for phase two of this work. Learning from Families with Lived Experience The engagement sessions for phase one were designed as intentional,

locations selected for accessibility and comfort. The sessions were held at Connections 2 Independence in Minneapolis and Oshkiimaajitahdah in the Red Lake Nation. Engagement sessions were scheduled at times that accommodated participants’ needs. Supports included meals, on-site child care, and an honorarium that honored their time and expertise. From the outset, participants received clear communication and informed consent materials that explained the purpose of the sessions, the use of data, and the collaborative nature of the process.

trauma-informed spaces where teen parents could share their lived experiences, analyze data, and col laboratively envision improvements to the Minnesota Family Investment Program. Each session was guided by a whole family approach, 1 combining Liberatory Design principles 2 and Human-Centered Design 3 that honor community expertise, foster trust, and promote reflection and shared learning. Each teen parent participated in a six-hour in-person engagement session hosted in trusted, community-based

Illustrations by Chris Campbell

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Policy & Practice Summer 2026