For complete results, select the county where you live or where your case is filed:
Common Questions about Public Assistance
Contents
These are common questions about public assistance offered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
Questions about Applying for Assistance
To apply for benefits submit an application to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The fastest way to apply is online at MI Bridges. You can also apply in person at your local MDHHS office.
Every applicant must verify (prove) important parts of their application. This means you may have to show things like:
-
State identification cards
-
Driver licenses
-
Passports
-
Immigration documents, like permanent resident cards
You will likely be asked to provide proof of your income from the last 30 days and proof of your housing expenses, e.g. a lease or rent receipt.
MDHHS will send you a Verification Checklist that lists the documents you need for your application to be processed. For most benefit programs a MDHHS specialist will contact you to set up a conference to verify your application (these are usually by phone).
You can also use the conference as an opportunity to learn about your rights. Ask the MDHHS specialist any questions you have about the application process or your public benefits.
How long the application process takes depends on which public benefits you apply for. Here are some common public benefits programs and the application timelines:
-
Food Assistance Program (FAP) – 30 days (If you are homeless or have little to no money, you might be able to get emergency food assistance. Emergency applications are processed within 7 days)
-
Family Independence Program (FIP) – 45 days
-
Child Development and Care Program – 45 days
-
Medical Assistance (MA) – 45 days, but a disability-related application can take up to 90 days
-
State Disability Assistance (SDA) – 60 days
-
State Emergency Relief (SER) – 10 days
The fastest way to apply is online at MI Bridges. You can also apply in person at your local MDHHS office.
Questions about Different Programs
The Family Independence Program (FIP) is cash assistance for families with dependent children. A dependent child means any child under 18 years old. An 18 or 19 year-old can also be considered a dependent child if he or she is a full-time high school student and expects to graduate before age 20. You may also be eligible for cash assistance if you are a pregnant woman or have a child in foster care that is expected to return to your home within a year.
Once you begin receiving cash assistance you must follow work rules. You must complete a Jobs and Self-Sufficiency Survey and develop a Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (FSSP). The FSSP will list the work activities that you must do to get FIP. If you break work rules without good cause MDHHS may:
-
Deny your application
-
Stop cash assistance for your whole family for three months for the first time; six months for the second time; and for your lifetime for the third time
-
Count all penalty months toward your 48-month state lifetime limit
There are both state and federal time limits for FIP cash assistance. In Michigan the limit is 48 months over your lifetime. The federal limit is 60 months over your lifetime. There are very limited exceptions to the time limits.
If you have questions about time limits and whether you may qualify for an exception, you should talk to a lawyer. If you need a lawyer and have low income, you may qualify for free legal help. Whether or not you have low income, you can use the Guide to Legal Help to find lawyers and legal services in your area.
CDC is a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) program that helps pay for child care expenses while you are:
-
Working,
-
Going to school, or
-
Getting medical treatment
Before you apply for CDC make sure you have a child care provider who accepts payments from the MDHHS.
There is no asset test for CDC, but there is a household income limit based on household size. There are exceptions to the household income limit.
The household income limits do not apply if the childcare expenses are for:
-
A child living in foster care,
-
A child getting FIP, or
-
A child with a current protective services order
If you get CDC, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will not cover all your childcare costs. What MDHHS pays is not based on what you are charged. MDHHS has set rates based on the age of your children and the type of childcare provider (child care center, family and group homes, unlicensed provider).
MDHHS pays a portion of its rate based on your income. Although CDC does not cover all of your childcare costs, the amount that it does pay can be very helpful for your monthly budget, so you should consider applying even if you are not sure how much will be covered. You can view the CDC Income Eligibility chart to estimate how much childcare CDC will pay for your family.
SER helps people who need money quickly for an emergency. It’s for low-income households that can usually meet their needs but that are facing unexpected situations. It is not a solution to ongoing or chronic financial troubles. For example, SER can help:
-
Prevent an eviction,
-
Stop a utility shut off, or
-
Pay for a burial
It is important to apply for SER even if you believe your application will be denied. Many other emergency relief providers will not process an application for assistance unless the applicant has already applied for SER.
Yes, there are income and asset limits for SER. If you are near or at the income limit you may have a co-payment. A co-payment is an amount you must pay before get SER money. The income limit test may cap how much money you can get.
Assets are cash, personal property, or real property. Some assets, like your home, one car, and personal and household goods, don’t count toward the SER asset limit. A household with more than $50 in cash assets must pay the amount over $50 toward the emergency (except for burial services).
SDA is cash assistance for eligible disabled adults and seniors. The caretaker of a disabled person may also qualify for SDA. A person who can’t work for more than 90 days due to a severe mental or physical disability is disabled for purposes of SDA.
Medicaid (also called Medical Assistance, or MA) is health insurance for people with low income. In Michigan, there is traditional Medicaid (TM) and the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP). HMP started in 2014 as part of the Affordable Care Act. Once you are enrolled, TM and HMP work just like other health insurance.
To learn more, read An Overview of Medicaid.
Healthy Kids is a Medicaid health care program available for children under 19 of low-income households and pregnant women of any age. There is an income limit, but no asset test. There are no monthly premiums for the program.
MIChild is another health care program available for children up to age 19 who are over income for the Healthy Kids Medicaid program. There is an income limit, but no asset test. There is a $10 premium per month.
You can apply for these programs at Healthy Kids.
Low-Income Family Medicaid (LIF) is for families with low income and minor children. There are income and asset limits. Families that get cash assistance (FIP) are automatically eligible for this program.
Healthy Kids for Pregnant Women is a Medicaid health care program for pregnant women with low income. Coverage includes the month the pregnancy ends and two calendar months after that. It covers these months regardless of the reason the pregnancy ends. There is an income limit for this program, but there is no asset test. You can apply for these programs at Healthy Kids for Pregnant Women.
The “Group 2 Pregnant Women Program” is a Medicaid health care program for women whose income exceeds the limit for the “Healthy Kids for Pregnant Women” Program. A pregnant woman whose income is over the limit may have to pay a deductible. She may incur medical expenses that equal or exceed the deductible and qualify for this program.
The MOMS program gives pregnant women immediate health coverage. It covers outpatient prenatal care. The MOMS program provides immediate prenatal care while a Medicaid application is pending. Other women who may be eligible for MOMS include:
-
Teens who, because of confidentiality concerns, choose not to apply for Medicaid, and
-
Non-citizens who are only eligible for emergency services
Prenatal health care services will be covered by MOMS and/or Medicaid for the entire pregnancy and for two months after the pregnancy ends. There is an income test for all persons except teens, but there is no asset test.
To enroll in the MOMS program, contact your local public health department to find a “Qualified Agency” to help you apply for MOMS. Note: MDHHS cannot enroll in MOMS.
Young adults who can no longer get Medicaid as part of a family may be eligible for Medicaid until turning 21. There are income limits and an asset test. If income is over the limit, a person may incur medical expenses that equal or exceed the excess income and still qualify for this program.
In general, anyone who is elderly, blind, or disabled is eligible for Medicaid. Elderly means 65 or older. Income and asset limits apply.
If your income is above the limit, you may still qualify to have Medicaid pay for some of your medical expenses. This depends on how much over the income limit you are and how much your medical expenses are.
FAP is a benefit program that helps families with low income buy food. It is part of the federal program that used to be called Food Stamps.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) puts monthly FAP benefits on a Bridge Card. The family uses the Bridge Card to pay for groceries.
Medicare Savings Programs (MSP), also known as the Medicare Buy-In Programs, help pay for Medicare premiums (monthly costs for coverage), coinsurances, drug costs, and deductibles. A deductible is an amount of your health care costs you are responsible for before your benefits start. For example, if you have a $100 deductible, you are responsible for the first $100 of your health care costs before your benefits start.
To learn more, read Medicare Savings Programs.
Questions about Eligibility
Your family must have at least one citizen or qualified legal immigrant for some public benefits programs. You can qualify if other family members do not have legal immigration status. You must live in Michigan to qualify for public benefits here, and your family cannot be getting cash assistance from any other state.