COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Michigan continues to implement significant changes to its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), marked by the recent expiration of long-standing waivers and the introduction of stricter federal mandates under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
As of this month, able-bodied adults aged 18 to 64 without children under 14 are required to work, volunteer, or participate in approved job training for at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible for benefits.
These requirements, which have been in effect in Michigan for two months, also remove previous exemptions for veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth, impacting an estimated 1.4 million residents statewide.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is currently managing the transition as recipients face a three-month time limit on benefits if they fail to meet these work standards.
While 15 northern counties and six cities, including Detroit and Flint, maintain temporary waivers due to high unemployment, advocacy groups warn that up to 123,000 Michiganders could eventually lose access to food assistance.
State officials are also bracing for a sharp increase in administrative costs, with projections suggesting the state will soon be responsible for 75% of the program’s staffing and outreach expenses, totaling nearly $100 million annually.
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