- A program called Rx Kids has started in Flint, Michigan, aimed at helping families and young children in severe poverty.
- Registration for Rx Kids opens Wednesday and is being hailed as the first program of its kind in the United States
- The program provides pregnant women with $1,500 during the second trimester and $500 per month for the first year after giving birth.
A program aimed at lifting families and infants out of extreme poverty in Flint, Michigan, gives women $1,500 during their second trimester and $500 a month for the first year after giving birth.
Rx Kids, which began registration on Wednesday, is being hailed by authorities as the first of its kind in the United States.
The program has no income restrictions and gives parents “the freedom and choice to make decisions that best meet the needs of their families,” officials said in a release.
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The $1,500 can be used for food, prenatal care, rent, a crib, and other needs. The $500 monthly stipend will cover formula, diapers and child care.
A tower at the Flint Water Plant is seen on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Flint, Michigan. A program aimed at lifting Flint families and young children out of extreme poverty will provide women with $1,500 during the second trimester and $500 each month during pregnancy. 1st year after birth. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Rx Kids is supported by numerous foundations, endowments, and the state of Michigan. More than $43 million of the program's estimated five-year cost of $55 million has been raised.
“An investment in an influential family is an investment in Flint's future,” said Mayor Sheldon Neely. “Rx Kids supports Flint’s mothers and children when they are most vulnerable. This blessing lifts families out of poverty and improves their health outcomes. to help families raise strong, healthy babies.” ”
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Flint has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country. According to the census, about one-third of the city's residents live in poverty.
“This first-of-its-kind initiative in the nation boldly reimagines how society supports families and children, and how we care for each other,” said Pediatrician and Michigan State University Hurley Pediatrician. said Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of the hospital's pediatric department. health initiative.
Hannah Attisha was an early adopter of Flint's lead-tainted drinking water after state-appointed city managers in 2014 began using the Flint River to save money during construction of a new pipeline to Lake Huron. sounded the alarm. Because the water had not been treated to make it less corrosive, lead flaked from old pipes and contaminated the system for more than a year.
Hannah Attisha's research shows that the percentage of infants and children in Flint with above-average lead levels is nearly twice as high citywide, and nearly tripled for children in “high risk” areas for lead exposure. found.
