Rx Kids to Reach Nearly 100,000 Babies Across Michigan
The State of Michigan has announced a landmark investment of $270 million to expand Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program. Over the next three years, this funding is expected to reach nearly 100,000 babies, representing approximately one-third of all births in Michigan.
“With expanded support from the State of Michigan, Rx Kids is poised to reach more families across the state—bringing vital relief during pregnancy and infancy, when financial stress is often at its highest,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “Thanks to strong bipartisan leadership, thousands of Michigan babies will now have access to the resources they need to grow up healthy, secure, and supported from the very beginning.”
Originally launched in Flint in 2024, Rx Kids was created to address the critical window of pregnancy and infancy, when families often experience a sharp decline in income and a surge in expenses. The program provides $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month for babies during the first 6 to 12 months of life. This unconditional support helps families afford essentials such as baby supplies, food, housing, and childcare.
“Rx Kids is one of the most effective programs I’ve seen,” said Senator John Damoose (R-37). “It meets families where they are, without bureaucracy, and delivers real results. I’m proud to support its expansion.”
To date, Rx Kids has reached more than 3,600 families across 11 Michigan communities, delivering over $15 million in direct support. Early outcomes show significant improvements in both health and financial stability, including fewer preterm births, fewer NICU stays, reduced eviction rates, and improved access to nutritious food.
“Caring for our babies and families is a bipartisan issue here in Michigan,” said Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks. “We have a shared commitment, a shared value to ensure that every child has a healthy start. Diapers, car seats, daycare — it adds up quickly, especially at a time when costs are so high, and I’m extremely proud to be helping parents during this exciting and challenging time in their lives.”
“Rx Kids has been a lifeline for our family,” said Celeste Lord-Timlin, Rx Kids mother from Flint. “The support helped us afford childcare, stay in the workforce, and breathe a little easier during a time that could have been full of stress. Knowing that more families across Michigan will get this same support makes me proud to be part of something so powerful. I always think about how my daughter will feel as an adult knowing that people in power across party lines wanted her to succeed as a child.”
Rx Kids is a program of the Michigan State University-Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, in collaboration with Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, and administered by GiveDirectly.