Wayne County has launched a partnership with the Rx Kids program to provide financial support to pregnant moms and their babies.
The expansion of the program, announced Monday, will cover six cities across the county: River Rouge, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Inkster, Melvindale, and Dearborn.
Wayne County invested $7.5 million to support the program’s launch, and the state has allocated $270 million for the program across Michigan this fiscal year.
Beginning November 10, pregnant mothers can apply to receive $1,500 while pregnant and $500 per month for their baby’s first 6 months. There are no income restrictions.
Michigan’s Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist said it’s a watershed moment for the community because it offers crucial financial support to mothers.
“We are responding to what perhaps is one of the greatest policy failures that exists,” he said. “People living in poverty in the richest country in the world is a policy failure.”
Gilchrist said that the program plans to address the maternal and infant mortality rate disparity that exists between poor and wealthy women, as well as women of color and white women.
“We’re prescribing money to deal with those disparities," he said. “This is about responding to something urgent and real. And no other state in the country is doing something at this scale.”
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said the program is a game-changer. “Bringing Rx Kids to Wayne County is part of a broader initiative to create healthier communities,” he said.
He said the program will benefit the entire community, not just new mothers, and that's particularly important with uncertainty around federal anti-poverty programs. “Especially now with the WIC and SNAP benefits in limbo like they are, it’s kind of a parachute for some folks, and a much needed one.”
Dr. Mona Hanna is a founder and director of Rx Kids. She said the goal of the investment is to allow mothers and their babies to be more healthy.
“For so long we have been putting on expensive Bandaids while failing to treat the root cause of what makes it so hard for kids to be healthy and successful,” she said.
She added that the root cause of the issue is economic hardship, which limits and eliminates crucial resources for families. Hanna said families are often poorest when a mother is pregnant and preparing to have a child. Mothers often have to stay home with no paid leave, and once the child is born, they are costly to support.
Nyah Phillips is one of the first mothers applying for the program. Phillips is a first-time mom. She said that during her first trimester, she was let go from her job.
“As the symptoms intensified, I struggled to work consistently,” she continued. “I went nearly three months without income, and my savings were depleted.”
Now, due to resilience and a circle of support, she is safe and living close to her family and her partner.
“I’m doing everything I can to be educated about parenthood,” Philips said. “Despite the challenges, I’m very excited to be a mom.”
“When you ask me why Rx Kids matters, this is why,” she continued. “Because the reality is that there are some things you can’t expect, no matter how much you prepare.”
She said that Rx Kids is giving mothers like herself room to breathe and focus on the importance of staying safe and having a healthy baby.
For more information on how to apply, families can go to RxKids.org.
