A program that gives one-time payments and monthly support to parents with infants is expanding to Jackson, Blackman Township and Albion.
“Every mom and baby deserve the support they need to get off to a strong start,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Monday, April 27.
Rx Kids enrollment will open June 1 in Jackson and Blackman Township and July 1 in Albion, the governor’s office announced.
Eligible participants must be at least 16 weeks pregnant at enrollment and newborns must be born on or after their community’s launch dates. Regardless of income, the mothers receive a one-time payment of $1,500 during mid-pregnancy and $500 a month during their babies’ infancy. The designated length of time varies between six to 12 months.
The aim is to address “profound economic hardship” families face during pregnancy and babies’ infancy, “the most financially vulnerable time for many households.”
In October 2025, the legislature passed a budget investing $250 million over three years. This complements annual funds from the federal, state-run Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and private sources to expand the program across Michigan, Dr. Mona Hanna, Rx Kids director and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, said in the statement.
Communities applied for the program and were selected with guidance from an advisory committee of statewide health and human service leaders based on demonstrated need, considering indicators like Medicaid birth rates, child poverty levels and maternal and infant health outcomes.
“Rx Kids has demonstrated improvements in family financial stability, healthier moms and babies, and meaningful economic benefits, with millions of dollars in spending flowing directly into small businesses and local economies,” the governor’s statement reads.
Rx Kids, started in Flint, is now operating in 42 communities across Michigan.
In Jackson and Blackman Township, where around 630 babies are born each year, the initiative is made possible by support from the state, the Center for Family Health, the Community Action Agency, the Consumers Energy Foundation, the Dawn Food Corporate Giving Program, Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, the Jackson Community Foundation, United Way of South Central Michigan, and the city of Jackson.
The Center for Family Health is to support outreach, engagement and celebration while the Community Foundation is to be the local fiduciary.
In February, the Jackson City Council approved contributing $15,000 annually for three years.
In Albion and other areas of Calhoun County, the program is supported by the Albion Community Foundation, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, the Binda Foundation, BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, Bronson Health System, Duncan Aviation, the Miller Foundation, United Way of South Central Michigan, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Worgess Insurance.
“This is our opportunity to help drive lasting impact for our community and making sure our newest residents know how much we appreciate them,” Monica Moser, president and CEO of the Jackson Community Foundation, said in the statement.
Michigan Rep. Kathy Schmaltz, R-Jackson, said she is committed to advancing state programs that provide meaningful support to mothers and their children, while protecting taxpayer dollars. “Because families are the foundation of our state’s future.”
Raising a baby is more expensive than ever, state Sen. Sue Shink, D-Northfield Township, said in the statement. “This groundbreaking program gives every family a strong start.”
Originally published at mlive.com