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BEM 212 1 of 13 FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GROUP COMPOSITION BPB 2025-015 6-1-2025

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

DEPARTMENT POLICY Bridges will help determine who must be included in the Food Assistance Program (FAP) group prior to evaluating the non- financial and financial eligibility of everyone in the group. Food Assistance Program group composition is established by determining all of the following: 1. Who lives together. 2. The relationship(s) of the people who live together. 3. Whether the people living together purchase and prepare food together or separately. 4. Whether the person(s) resides in an eligible living situation; see Living Situations in this item. RELATIONSHIPS The relationship(s) of the people who live together affects whether they must be included or excluded from the group. First, determine if they must be included in the group. If they are not mandatory group members, then determine if they purchase and prepare food together or separately. Spouses Spouses who are legally married and live together must be in the same group. Parents and Children Children include natural, step and adopted children. Parents and their children under 22 years of age who live together must be in the same group regardless of whether the child(ren) have their own spouse or child who lives with the group. Note: For ongoing and intake applications where the child(ren) are not yet 22, they are potentially eligible for their own case, the month after turning 22.