A groundbreaking program providing financial support to pregnant women and babies in Flint is set to expand across Michigan. Rx Kids, which aims to eradicate deep infant poverty through cash payments, has garnered attention for its unique approach. The program delivers $1,500 mid-pregnancy for essentials like food, prenatal care, and cribs, followed by $500 monthly payments for the first year of the baby’s life, totaling $7,500. Launched in January, Rx Kids has distributed over $2 million to 828 families in Flint, where nearly 78% of children under five live in poverty.

Thanks to $20 million in the recently approved state budget, Rx Kids is poised to extend its reach to five counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula, including Alger, Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft. Additionally, the program will expand to Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Dearborn, Highland Park, River Rouge, and parts of Detroit. Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign the budget soon.

Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, expressed optimism about the program’s expansion. Hanna, a pediatrician who played a key role in exposing Flint’s water crisis, highlighted the program’s potential to alleviate poverty and improve health outcomes for children. “Rx Kids is a prescription for health, hope, and opportunity,” she said.

Evidence supports the effectiveness of cash benefits in reducing child poverty. H. Luke Shaefer, co-director of Rx Kids, noted that the pandemic-era expanded Child Tax Credit significantly reduced child poverty in 2021. The Rx Kids program, similar to universal basic income and guaranteed basic income initiatives, provides no-strings-attached cash payments to families in need.

The expansion of Rx Kids hinges on raising philanthropic funds to supplement public dollars. For instance, Dearborn requires an additional $9.5 million to offer a full 12-month program to all moms and babies. Detroit would need $32 million to mirror the Flint program fully. Wayne County and other municipalities are eager to support the initiative, recognizing the critical role of financial stability in ensuring healthy starts for children.

Leaders in other cities, including Dearborn’s Ali Abazeed and Kalamazoo’s Grace Lubwama, are also committed to making Rx Kids a reality. Abazeed emphasized the importance of investing in the period before and after pregnancy to reduce poverty risk. Kalamazoo’s community is rallying support, with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation already committing $500,000.

As Rx Kids explores potential expansion beyond Michigan, the program’s success in Flint serves as a promising model for addressing child poverty nationwide. “We started this in Flint, but the intent was never to end in Flint,” Hanna stated, underscoring the broader vision for Rx Kids.