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BEM 232 1 of 33 DIRECT SUPPORT SERVICES BPB 2026-009 4-1-2026

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

PURPOSE Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) assists families to achieve self-sufficiency. The primary avenue to self-sufficiency is employment. MDHHS and Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope. (PATH) provides Direct Support Services (DSS) to help families become self-sufficient. POLICY FIP, CDC, MA Family, FAP Family, FAP Non-Family DEFINITIONS Direct Support Services (DSS) Goods and services provided to help families achieve self- sufficiency. DSS includes Employment Support Services (ESS) and Family Support Services (FSS) that directly correlates to removing an employment-related barrier. There is no entitlement for DSS. The decision to authorize DSS is within the discretion of the MDHHS or PATH program, based on local office funding. Employment Support Services (ESS) Include, but are not limited to, transportation, special clothing, tools, physical exams, vehicle purchases, vehicle insurance and vehicle repair. ESS may be authorized by MDHHS or PATH program; see availability and clients served by MDHHS or clients served by PATH in this item. Family Support Services (FSS) Include, but are not limited to, classes and seminars, counseling services and commodities. FSS may only be authorized by the family independence specialist. FSS services are provided to clients when the primary reason for providing a service is to remove an employment-related barrier preventing the client from participating in activities leading to self-sufficiency. Clients experiencing barriers directly tied to other services such as children’s services or housing must be charged or funded by those funding sources.