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Rx Kids Expands to Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township

September 4, 2025

Rx Kids, an innovative cash aid program created in Flint by Dr. Mona Hanna, has expanded to 11 Michigan communities, providing pregnant women with $1,500 during pregnancy followed by monthly payments after birth. The program, which has distributed approximately $14 million to over 3,300 families, aims to address infant poverty by giving mothers financial resources to stabilize their households. A May 2025 survey revealed that 87% of participants said the program helped them "make ends meet," while 72% reported it allowed them to take time off work for family care.

Who is affected

  • Pregnant women and new mothers in 11 Michigan communities
  • Over 3,300 families who have received funds
  • Residents of Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township (newest program locations)
  • Families in Flint, Pontiac, Kalamazoo, and five counties in the Eastern Upper Peninsula
  • Communities often overlooked in conversations about poverty and health inequities

What action is being taken

  • Rx Kids is distributing cash aid ($1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly after birth)
  • The program is expanding to new communities in Michigan
  • Oakland County is implementing the program in Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township
  • Michigan State University, University of Michigan's Poverty Solutions initiative, and Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) are partnering to support the program
  • Lawmakers are considering legislation to scale the program statewide

Why it matters

  • The program addresses immediate forms of infant poverty
  • 87% of mothers report the program helps them "make ends meet"
  • 72% of participants say the support allows them to take time off work for family care
  • The program provides financial stability during a critical period for child development
  • It represents a shift in approaching maternal and infant health as a collective investment rather than individual responsibility
  • The bipartisan interest suggests recognition that maternal and infant health outcomes affect everyone

What's next

  • A bill in the Michigan Senate seeks to scale Rx Kids across the state
  • If passed, the legislation would embed cash prescriptions into Michigan's policy framework
  • Michigan could become the first state in the country to guarantee such a program for all new mothers

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle