MSU’s Flint Registry secures federal funding to continue public health work in the community

After months of federal funding uncertainty, the Flint Registry has received notice of renewed funding beginning Aug. 1, enabling continued long-term efforts to support those impacted by the Flint Water Crisis.

Congressionally allocated and Department of Health and Human Services–supported, the Flint Registry is grant-funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health. This grant renewal is a win for public health in Flint and nationwide.

“We are so grateful to the CDC and our congressional leaders for ensuring that we can continue this critical work,” said Mona Hanna, pediatrician and associate dean for Public Health at the MSU College of Human Medicine. “Now in its ninth year of funding, the Flint Registry is doing exactly what it was designed to do: improving public health in Flint — and beyond.”

As one of the largest public health registries in the nation, the Flint Registry conducts long-term monitoring and provides comprehensive support for individuals exposed to the Flint Water Crisis. Staffed by nearly 30 Flint-based team members and in partnership with dozens of community partners, the MSU program has enrolled over 22,000 members and provided more than 35,000 referrals to services.

“The Flint Registry has been a trusted resource hub, helping rebuild confidence and connecting us to real solutions,” said Wendy J., a Flint resident.

Thousands of Flint Registry members have shared their stories, shaped national policies, and inspired new prevention-focused programs across the country. “As an academic-community partnership, MSU’s Flint Registry is showing the world what community-driven public health can achieve,” said Nicole Jones, a perinatal epidemiologist and assistant professor at the MSU College of Human Medicine and principal investigator of the Flint Registry. “The novel integration of public health within a medical school — and rooted in the community — gives us both the expertise and the ambition to take on big problems.”

Recognized as a national model, the Flint Registry has shared best practices with environmental and public health disaster response teams and supported similarly impacted communities including Newark, New Jersey; Benton Harbor, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; and Honolulu, Hawaii. It has also informed updates to both state and federal Lead and Copper Rules and contributed to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, advancing policies that protect millions of families from future water and environmental health crises.

“We can never forget the responsibility we have to Flint families who were poisoned during the Water Crisis,” said Congresswoman Kristin McDonald Rivet. “For years, the Flint Registry has led the effort to keep up with and help everybody affected. Securing funding for the registry through 2026 is a huge win, and we will continue working in a bipartisan manner to keep the registry funded and support our community for years to come.”

“Access to clean, drinkable water isn’t a partisan or political issue in Michigan, it’s about our kids, our families and our futures,” said Sen. Elissa Slotkin. “What the Flint community has endured is terrible; it should have never happened, and many folks are still feeling the effects of it today. I welcome the news that the current year’s federal budget funding for the Flint Registry has been granted to continue operations and that the draft budget for next year included funding for the registry. I will keep working until this is signed into law because the registry is an important tool to help those exposed to lead-contaminated water. There’s still more work to do but this is a good step.”

“The Flint Registry has been one of our most effective tools for delivering the comprehensive health and support services that Flint families need to mitigate the negative impacts of lead exposure,” said Sen. Gary Peters. “I was proud to help establish this program, and I’m pleased that this funding will allow the city of Flint, MSU and its community partners to continue supporting those who are still impacted by this crisis.”

“The CDC’s grant announcement for the Flint Lead Exposure Registry is wonderful news,” said Congressman John Moolenaar. “It’s been a decade since the Flint Water Crisis, and the community is still recovering. The Flint Registry serves as a model for public health programs. Its continued operation will assist the community to identify those affected by the crisis and connect them with the resources they need. I will continue my work in Congress to support the people of Flint as they continue their recovery.”