Why this matters:
Having a baby is expensive: For many families, income plunges and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year; economic hardship in this maternal-infant window impacts lifelong health.
Improved health and well-being: Rx Kids has led to healthier births, with fewer preterm deliveries, fewer low birthweight babies and fewer NICU admissions.
Positive economic impact: Prevention saves money due to lower health care and societal costs and more money is spent locally, creating an economic stimulus for communities. For every Rx Kids $1 spent in the community, an estimated $1.60 circulates in the local economy.
The state of Michigan has committed $270 million to Michigan State University’s Rx Kids program, the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription, enabling expansion over the next three years to more communities and families across the state. This investment is expected to reach nearly 100,000 babies — about one-third of all births in Michigan.
“This expansion marks a historic milestone for Michigan families and the future of our state,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “Michigan State is proud to lead Rx Kids, a transformative initiative that reflects our deep commitment to advancing public health, equity and opportunity across the state. This is a model of how state government can partner with public research universities and MSU is honored to boldly improve health for thousands of moms and babies during the most critical stage of life.”
For many families, income plunges and expenses spike right before a child is born; economic hardship during this maternal-infant window impacts lifelong health, hope and opportunity. Rx Kids offers a bold solution to support families, providing immediate relief and a solid foundation at one of the most costly and critical stages of life — pregnancy and infancy. This critical support helps families afford essentials like baby supplies, food, housing and utilities.
Launched in 2024, Rx Kids provides support of $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month for babies during the first six to12 months of life. From Kalamazoo to the eastern Upper Peninsula, the program has already delivered more than $15 million in cash prescriptions to over 3,600 families across 11 Michigan communities.
“With this expanded support, we have the opportunity to bring Rx Kids to more communities across Michigan — and continue MSU’s long-standing mission of solving big problems and serving the people of our great state,” said Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the MSU College of Human Medicine. “Thanks to bipartisan support from leaders across Michigan, thousands of babies will soon grow up with the resources they need to thrive.”
The state’s investment in Rx Kids builds on powerful new evidence that the program is improving both family stability and leading to healthier babies. Since launching in Flint, Rx Kids has led to healthier births with fewer preterm deliveries, fewer low birthweight babies and fewer NICU admissions. Families are also experiencing greater financial security. Evictions among participating mothers have nearly vanished, rent and mortgage debt have declined, and access to nutritious food has improved.
“Rx Kids has been a lifeline for our family,” said Celeste Lord-Timlin, Rx Kids mom from Flint, Michigan. “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.”
Rx Kids is a place-based solution that prioritizes communities with the greatest need. It is underpinned by an innovative public-private partnership, combining public funding from state, federal and municipal sources with private support from philanthropy, local businesses and health care systems. In Michigan, historic investment from the state will provide the majority of funding; however, additional resources are required to launch Rx Kids in new communities.
Rx Kids is led by 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. Learn more about the Rx Kids expansion in Michigan at RxKids.org.