Page 2
BEM 212 2 of 13 FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GROUP COMPOSITION BPB 2025-015 6-1-2025
BRIDGES ELIGIBILITY MANUAL STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Primary Caretaker The primary caretaker is the person who is primarily responsible for the child’s day-to-day care and supervision in the home where the child sleeps more than half of the days in a calendar month, on average, in a twelve-month period. Caretaker A caretaker is a related or unrelated person who provides care or supervision to a child(ren) under 18 who lives with the caretaker but who is not a natural, step or adopted child. This policy does not apply to foster children (see below). A person acting as a parent and the child(ren) for whom they act as a parent who live with them must be in the same group. Example: Emma's grandson Pete (age 15) lives with them and they receive FIP for Pete as an ineligible grantee. They provide for Pete's care by giving them a place to live, clothing, etc. Emma and Pete must be in the same group. Example: Polly's niece Peggy (age 17) lives with them. Peggy has a full-time job, pays room rent and buys their own food. Polly states that they have just provided a place to live in exchange for the room rent; they do not supervise Peggy's activities. Polly and Peggy are separate groups. Either may apply with separate group status. Foster Children The FAP group may choose to include or exclude a foster child whose foster parent is a group member. If excluded, the foster child is not eligible for FAP as a separate group, and the foster care pay- ment is not income to the group. Foster Adults The FAP group may choose to include or exclude a foster adult who lives with the group. If excluded, the foster adult is not eligible for FAP as a separate group, and the foster care payment is not income to the group. Exception: This policy does not apply to residents of Adult Foster Care (AFC)/Community Living Facility (CLF) homes which are nonprofit and licensed for 16 or fewer residents. Policy in Bridges Eligibility Manual (BEM) 615, Group Living Facilities and BEM 617, FAP in Nonprofit Group Living Facilities applies to these residents.