Rx Kids

Welcome! The Rx Kids program is reimagining how society supports families. For many families, income plunges, and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year. Built on the tremendous success of the expanded Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty to its lowest level in recorded history, and in line with global evidence, Rx Kids boldly reimagines how we care for each other by walking alongside families during the challenging time of pregnancy and infancy. Learn more about the research behind the program, and the impact it is already having on families in Flint, MI: https://lnkd.in/gshnDtXn https://lnkd.in/gRJRuBvt #RxKids GiveDirectly University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy University of Michigan Michigan State University Greater Flint Health Coalition City of Flint

Creating a less stressful environment and providing more time for moms to bond with babies is exactly what Rx Kids was intended to do when it launched in January of 2024. This #WorldMentalHealthDay, and every day, we are glad to hear Rx Kids enrolled moms report improved maternal mental health and wellbeing. #RxKids Greater Flint Health Coalition University of Michigan Poverty Solutions MSU Master of Public Health GiveDirectly

Meet Reosha Watson, one of the many incredible Rx Kids moms! ❤ When Rx Kids launched in early 2024, our mission was simple: to reduce stress, create opportunities, and empower families to determine their own needs. For Reosha, this program has helped with the costs of basic needs for baby Kali but also provided the financial freedom to take classes and pursue a new career. 🍼 Read her story: https://lnkd.in/gxv5nDmv #RxKids #FlintRxKids University of Michigan Poverty Solutions MSU Master of Public Health GiveDirectly Greater Flint Health Coalition

Watch or listen to Dr. Mona Hanna and Luke Shaefer discuss how the qualities of the places where people live are shaped by historic and current policies, which have created deep disadvantage across many communities with important implications for the health and development of the children who live there. This talk is a part of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University's webinar, "A New Lens on Poverty: Working Towards Fairness of Place in the United States." https://lnkd.in/gWXgxAjF University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy University of Michigan Poverty Solutions MSU Master of Public Health

The true goal of Rx Kids goes far beyond Flint. ➡ Lots of other countries already offer a child cash benefit. The U.S. essentially did, too, during the COVID-19 pandemic with the 2021 expanded child tax. Child poverty rates fell to historic lows, until Congress couldn’t get the votes to renew the program. However, what once seemed like a moonshot, is already gaining some traction: both presidential candidates are considering some kind of support program, and Michigan has budgeted some $20M in federally allocated TANF funds to help expand Rx Kids to a shortlist of communities, if those areas can raise local matching funds. The next phase of Rx Kids is crucial then, as the program looks to expand beyond cities like Flint, to rural areas like the remote eastern Upper Peninsula. Listen, or read more on Michigan Public: https://lnkd.in/gAciRjNh University of Michigan Poverty Solutions MSU Master of Public Health GiveDirectly Greater Flint Health Coalition #RxKids #FlintRxKids #ChildTaxCredit

Rest assured more insights are coming, but here's a final highlight from this last research brief: Rx Kids moms were 22% more likely to say they “feel hopeful.” ❤️ We are honored to help make that happen! Thank you to the moms who responded to our survey 😍 The full research brief is available on our website, under the Impact section, or via this link: https://lnkd.in/gaeiBGDx #MaternalWellbeing #RxKids #FlintRxKids Greater Flint Health Coalition GiveDirectly University of Michigan Poverty Solutions MSU Master of Public Health

🤔 DYK: Rx Kids moms were 20% less likely to have a positive screening for depression and most likely to report mental health as "excellent" and "very good." ❤ Interested in more data? Check out our latest research brief: https://lnkd.in/gaeiBGDx #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #MaternalMentalHealth MSU Master of Public Health University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy GiveDirectly Greater Flint Health Coalition #RxKids #FlintRxKids University of Michigan Poverty Solutions

Here's another incredible finding: Rx Kids moms were 19% more likely to say they were paid in full on their rent or mortgage 🏠 and not a single surveyed Rx Kids mom had been evicted since childbirth! ❤️ Curious for more? Dive into the full research brief: https://lnkd.in/gaeiBGDx #RxKids #flintrxkids MSU Master of Public Health University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy GiveDirectly Greater Flint Health Coalition University of Michigan Poverty Solutions

At our Donuts, Diapers, and Data event, we released key findings in the first Rx Kids research brief, revealing improvements in the financial stability, and mental health and wellbeing of low-income mothers and their families. This week we'll be sharing key findings on social media. ❤️ For example: Rx Kids moms were 15.1% more likely to report that they have "enough of the kinds of food we want." Look through the report: https://lnkd.in/gMccVeVF

Sometimes families grow unexpectedly. That was the case for the Vargas family when Yaquelin found out she was pregnant with her baby girl, Hope. One of the biggest immediate needs for the now family of six was a larger vehicle. With multiple young children still requiring car seats, their previous vehicle wasn’t large enough for the family to fit everyone. That's one thing Rx Kids can help with. Not only did the Rx Kids payments help Yaquelin get a bigger vehicle, they have allowed her to take more time off from work than she was able to with her other children. Read more about Yaquelin and baby Hope's story: https://lnkd.in/dRW6pBYk Greater Flint Health Coalition MSU Master of Public Health University of Michigan - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy GiveDirectly Kalamazoo Community Foundation #FlintRxKids #RxKids