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BAM 401E 9 of 34 ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER ISSUANCE SYSTEM BPB 2026-019 8-1-2026

BRIDGES ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

GROUP HOMES

Authorized Retailers Group homes approved as FNA-certified retailers are supplied with the necessary POS equipment for processing EBT transactions in the group homes. New group homes requesting to be FNA-certified must contact FNA to become an authorized retailer. Provide group homes with the address and phone number for the FNA Field Office based on their county. Retailers interested in accepting the Bridge Card for food benefits purchases must be authorized by FNA. To become an authorized retailer, apply online at www.fns.usda.gov/snap or call the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at 877-823-4369. Retailers not authorized by FNA are eligible to participate by accepting the Bridge Card for cash benefits only and must contact retailer operations to receive a survey form and a list of certified third-party providers with which they may contract to provide EBT cash benefit services. If you would like this information mailed to you, or if you have questions regarding your contract, call Retailer Operations at 1-888-529-1693. Group homes acting as FNA-certified retailers permit clients to exchange their benefit dollars for food by swiping their Bridge card through the home’s POS device. The Bridge card transaction is processed between the first and the 15th of the month to reduce the client’s monthly SNAP benefit by half. The group home’s account is increased by the amount deducted from the client’s account. A second transaction is done between the 16th and the last day of the month for the remaining balance, again debiting the client’s account and crediting the group home’s account. Authorized Representatives Those homes that are not approved as authorized retailers may be an authorized representative for the clients in their homes. In these situations, an employee (such as the food buyer) of the group home is identified as the AR for the residents in the home. This person is authorized by the client and the facility to act as an AR, accessing only the client’s SNAP benefits at a FNA retailer location with a