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BEM 210 15 of 20 FIP GROUP COMPOSITION BPB 2026-002 1-1-2026

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

Example 2: Mom is receiving FIP for her six-year-old son, Austin. At application, Austin sleeps in her home more than half the days in a month, when averaged over the next twelve months. Dad is con- tacted by Friend of the Court regarding his ability to pay child sup- port. Dad states that Austin sleeps in his home all week and spends weekends only with Mom. Determine the number of days per month Austin stays in each parent’s home based on best available information and evidence supplied by both parents. Legal Guardian Whenever a FIP Eligible Child has a legal guardian, the legal guardian must be the protective payee for the FIP grant; see BAM 420. This applies whether or not the guardian resides with the FIP group and continues until guardianship is terminated. Verify termination of legal guardianship prior to terminating the protective payee; see Verification Sources in this item. Note: When a legal guardian is receiving FIP for a child, and the parent of the only eligible child returns to the home, enter the parent’s data on the legal guardian’s Bridges case and run eligibility. The legal guardian’s FIP will be terminated. If the parent applies and is found eligible for FIP, the legal guardian must be made the protective payee for the parent’s FIP. MULTI-GENERATION AND COMBINED GROUPS When an unemancipated minor parent and the parent’s child (see BEM 201) live with a legal parent(s) or stepparent, all three genera- tions compose the group. The unemancipated minor parent may not be the grantee for FIP when living with a parent(s) or stepparent; the unemancipated minor parent is the dependent child of the parent(s) or stepparent. When a minor parent lives with a qualifying FIP caretaker other than a parent or stepparent, and the caretaker requests cash assistance for themselves, the minor parent is a dependent child. If the minor parent’s non-parent caretaker does not request cash assistance, or is ineligible for FIP, the minor parent may apply, be treated as an adult and be the FIP grantee; see BEM 201. When a person is caring for two or more dependent children who are not legally related to each other as siblings or stepsiblings, all children for whom the caretaker requests cash assistance are in a