A program that provides cash payments to expectant mothers and families with babies is slated to launch next year in Kalamazoo, as part of a statewide expansion to help eliminate infant poverty.
Rx Kids, which started in Flint earlier this year, and is regarded by officials as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country , gives moms $1,500 mid-pregnancy for essentials like food, prenatal care, cribs or other needs. Then, after birth, families get $500 a month for the first year of the infant’s life, adding up to $7,500 in total. The program received $20 million in a recent state budget allocation to allow it to grow beyond Flint to communities across Michigan.
The program is designed to help 840 babies — covering the more than 800 expected to be born in 2025 in Kalamazoo. It’s the city’s first “cash prescription” program for expecting mothers and babies, according to a news release.
During a news conference at Kalamazoo’s City Hall, Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, applauded the upcoming program expansion and the state’s contribution.