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BEM 212 3 of 13 FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GROUP COMPOSITION BPB 2025-015 6-1-2025

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

LIVING WITH Living with means sharing a home where family members usually sleep and share any common living quarters such as a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or living room. Persons who share only an access area such as an entrance or hallway or non-living area such as a laundry room are not considered living together. For policy regarding persons in other group living situations; see BEM 617. Temporary Absence A person who is temporarily absent from the group is considered living with the group. A person's absence is temporary if all of the following are true: • The person’s location is known. • The person lived with the group before an absence (newborns are considered to have lived with the group). • There is a definite plan for return. • The absence has lasted or is expected to last 30 days or less. Exception: The absence may last longer than 30 days if the absent person is in a hospital and there is a plan for them to return to the home. DETERMINING PRIMARY CARETAKER When a child spends time with multiple caretakers who do not live together such as joint physical custody, parent/grandparent, etc., determine a primary caretaker. Only one person can be the primary caretaker and the other caretaker(s) is considered the absent care- taker(s). The child is always in the FAP group of the primary care- taker. If the child’s parent(s) is living in the home, they must be included in the FAP group. Exception: If otherwise eligible, the absent caretaker may receive FAP benefits for the child when the child is visiting the absent