The Future of Welfare Reform in Michigan- Adobe Acrobat SEMCA’s Michigan Works Agency (MWA) works in partnership with the Family Independence Agency (FIA) of Monroe and Wayne Counties (excluding the city of Detroit) to assist people in achieving economic self sufficiency. The MWA identifies barriers to employment and focuses its efforts and resources on getting customers into employment. Participants in these programs must be referred to the program by the Family Independence Agency (FIA).
			Work First (Michigan Welfare to Work) is designed to establish and maintain a connection to the labor market for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients, Non-Custodial Parents (NCPs), and recipients of non-cash assistance such as Child Day Care, Medicaid, and Food Stamps. To make this connection, participants are first placed into employment and then encouraged to enroll in occupationally relevant education and training programs. SEMCA is one of 25 local Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs) operating the Work First Programs throughout the state. The funds allocated to the MWAs for Work First Programs are used to provide job search services, education and training programs, and employment-related supportive services such as transportation allowances, uniforms, tools, and automobile repairs. • Michigan ranks 12th among all states and the District of Columbia in welfare caseload reduction from 1993 to 1999. For more information, visit about our Welfare Reform programs, please visit www.semca.org/reform.htm For more information, Michigan’s Welfare Reform efforts, please visit www.michigan.gov/emi/0,1303,7-102--23604--,00.html Return to the top of the page Return to Main Table of Contents