A program that provides cash payments to expectant mothers and families with babies is slated to launch next year in Kalamazoo, Michigan as part of a statewide expansion to help eliminate infant poverty.
The program, Rx Kids , started in Flint earlier this year, the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY network, reported.
Across the U.S., there are several pilot programs that provide basic income to low-income individuals and families. But the cash aid program for expectant mothers is regarded as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country.
Rx Kids 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.
During a press conference , Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, said the program is redefining “how we should proactively and collectively care for our children,” the Detroit Free Press reported.