Family Investment Program (FIP) (Maryland)

Like the AFDC program, the Family Investment Program, called "FIP", is intended to provide assistance and benefits to low-income families with children.  The old Maryland AFDC program was the same statewide.  The FIP program, however, varies from county to county.  Each county, and Baltimore City, has the option of operating the program differently.  Therefore, there is no way to give one description that accurately describes the FIP program in every county.

Broadly, the FIP program provides for the Department of Social Services to provide cash assistance, work experience, and other services to low-income families with children that qualify for welfare benefits.

How it works:

• Who is eligible? Families that include a minor child who lives with a parent or caretaker relative or a pregnant woman.  They must live in Maryland and the applicant must have applied for child support at the local child support enforcement office. The applicant must be engaged in a job search or in work activity unless certain conditions are met.
• Anyone has the right to file an application at a Department of Social Services office in their area [find your local DSS office].
• You must provide information proving your household income and assets, the immigration or citizenship status of the members of your household, and Social Security numbers for your household members.
• DSS must give everyone who applies detailed information about how they can verify the information needed for the application.
• DSS must conduct an "assessment" of the applicant that includes the reason they need welfare, their education and job skills, and any history of domestic violence or history of substance abuse.
• DSS must give applicants a written description of all the available services provided in that county.
• DSS must make a written decision about eligibility for assistance and services with information about how to appeal to a "Fair Hearing" if you disagree with the decision.

Many figures used to calculate Family Investment Program (FIP) benefits are revised annually by the Department of Human Resources (DHR) Family Investment Administration, the state agency that administers the program.

These figures are usually updated in February or March, and can be found in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 07.03.03, or on the on the DHR website . You may also contact your local Department of Social Services for updated figures.

• Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA)

• Welfare Avoidance Grants (WAG)

• Child Care

• Medical Assistance, Families and Children (MA-FAC)

• Emergency Assistance for Families with Children (EAFC) -cash grants

• Child support collection services

• Jobs services

• Food Stamps

• Social Services

• Referral to Family Planning

• Referral to the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program (EPSDT)

• Transportation

• Referrals to housing

• Referrals to community resources

• Referrals to education programs

• Referrals to substance abuse treatment

• Referrals to Women, Infants and Children nutrition program (WIC)

Maryland Law:  Maryland Code, Article 88A, §44A to §56

• Eligible family, § 48

• Applicant assessment about reason assistance is needed, educational level, job skills, and other resources - § 49

• Non-compliance and sanction - § 50

• Substance Abuse treatment - § 50A

• limits on how long assistance can be received - § 51

Last date of review 4/21/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders.  In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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