MI Bridges COVID-19 Updates

Hello MI Bridges Community Partners,

Below are some MI Bridges Community Partner COVID-19 updates we would like to share with you.

Additional Food Assistance for 350,000 Michigan Families in Response to COVID-19 Emergency Extended Through June 

Approximately 350,000 Michigan families will continue to have access to additional food assistance benefits during the month of June as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced on Friday, June 5^th. Michigan previously approved the additional food assistance for March, April and May – and now that is being extended for the month of June with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by June 30, with payments beginning for some households on June 20. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that is provided earlier in the month.

 

You can find the full press release here.

 

Phone Assistance Guidance Update

With Governor Whitmer's Safer at Home order being lifted, we know that many MI Bridges Navigation Partners will continue to work remotely for a period of time. We are extending the guidance for providing assistance to clients over the phone to June 30th. MDHHS understands that many of our MI Bridges Navigation Partners have moved away from providing in-person assistance with MI Bridges and are wondering how they can provide assistance to clients over the phone. In an effort to better support our MI Bridges Community Partners who still are providing services via the phone, we have developed the following guidance on how to provide this assistance with MI Bridges account creation and online applications for benefits. This is a temporary measure that is only in place until June 30th and is subject to change. MDHHS will provide updates as processes/policies are changed.