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BEM 228 1 of 22 FAMILY AUTOMATED SCREENING TOOL AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN BPB 2025-008 4-1-2025
BRIDGES ELIGIBILITY MANUAL STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENTAL PHILOSOPHY The Family Independence Program (FIP) is a temporary cash assistance program to support a family’s movement to self- sufficiency. The Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (FSSP) was created to allow Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and other MDHHS client service providers to document and share information about mutual participants for optimal case management. The department’s goal of assisting families to achieve self-sufficiency whenever possible can only be achieved if barriers are properly identified and overcome. Use the Family Automated Screening Tool (FAST) and the FSSP described below to serve the FIP assistance recipients. DEPARTMENTAL POLICY Federal and state laws require each family receiving FIP to develop a plan and participate in activities that will strengthen the family and/or help them reach self-sufficiency. Users of the FSSP include MDHHS and the Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope. (PATH)/one-stop service centers. Note: Recipients of Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) are not required to complete the FAST or FSSP issued from Bridges. These individuals are required to complete a Refugee Family Self- Sufficiency Plan (RFSSP) with the refugee contractor (RC). Michigan’s success in meeting federal work participation requirements is measured by the participant’s actual hours of participation in work related activities as documented on the FSSP. The FSSP identifies compliance goals and responsibilities to be met by members of the FIP group, MDHHS, and PATH. The FSSP plan reflects the individual needs and abilities of the particular family, and includes the following: • The obligation of each adult to participate (an adult who is not working 40 hours a week) in PATH and to meet federal guidelines for work participation unless verified as deferred. • The obligation of each minor parent who has not completed secondary school to attend school.