How Rx Kids’ cash aid is helping Michigan moms afford diapers, food and rent

The rapid growth of the Rx Kids program happened in the span of about two years, spurred by $250 million in state funding, local contributions, private donors and demand. Rx Kids has so far raised about $70 million outside of state funds.

Pitched as a prescription to help alleviate financial burdens for families during an important part of an infant's development, the program offers $1,500 in cash assistance mid-pregnancy and then monthly $500 payments for six or 12 months after birth, depending on the location. 

Participants must live in one of the participating communities, be at least 16 weeks pregnant or the guardian of a child who is 6 months or younger, and born after the program kicked off in their community. Rx Kids focuses on areas with high need but is open to moms regardless of income.

Mothers have said they used the cash on the basics from strollers to diapers, that they were able to be more present for their children, and that it offered them time to prepare to go back to work and catch up on bills.

Amy Zaagman, executive director of the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health, said when families have the cash in hand to weather financial emergencies and pay for the basics, they can more easily access existing supports such as prenatal appointments or the federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

"Every day we hear from moms who tell us they feel less stressed, they have more time to focus on their baby, they are more able to show up for prenatal care and well-child visits, and their lives are a little more stable," said pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna, Rx Kids director and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Rx Kids is available in dozens of communities and is slated to reach 20 more this summer. Hanna anticipates expanding beyond Michigan later this year.

Taking time to rest, recover

Nyah Phillips, 24, of Inkster, Michigan, found out she was pregnant last year after she learned she wouldn't get a job that she was offered and had accepted. She moved to Lansing, Michigan, for the job but after orientation, she was told she was no longer a good fit, she said.

In the months afterward, Phillips worked part time as a substitute teacher while trying to find a full-time role and had to use her savings and credit cards to pay for rent. She worked gigs like DoorDash and Instacart to pay for groceries, and she went to food banks.

"I did everything I was supposed to do. I went to college. I got the degree. I don't even have that much in loans. I made good financial decisions. I had a very good credit score. I budgeted. I cook at home and I still can't afford stuff," said Phillips, a first-time mom.

She returned to Inkster, applied to Rx Kids and used most of the $1,500 lump sum on bills. She uses the $500 a month on her car insurance and payment, paying off credit cards and putting money aside for student loans. The funds also helped her pay for her son's birth certificate after leaving the hospital, and baby clothes.

The payments gave her time to rest and recover from complications during labor, while family support, community resources and Rx Kids payments are keeping her afloat as she considers her future.

'This has been most consistent'

Mercedesz Brown, a mom of 2-month-old twin girls, has been on unpaid leave from her job as a flight attendant since July. The 34-year-old Detroiter applied for Rx Kids earlier this year and gets a total of $1,000 a month for both babies. She also received the $1,500 one-time payment.

The program came at a time when Brown felt like she had no one aside from her grandmother supporting her during her pregnancy.

"If everything else in my life was shaky and unreliable, this has been the most consistent. This has been the most reliable," she said.

The program is helping Brown pay for rent and food; she also bought strollers.

Brown said she feels as though she's "just making it," and for that, she's grateful. 

Getting back on her feet

Rakiah Reives' son Jakai was born on New Year's Day.

But by then, it had been months since Reives worked full time. The 33-year-old Detroiter and mom of six had to quit her job as a certified nursing assistant because of her high-risk pregnancy, and she had only a short stint as a home health care worker while her husband worked as a cook.

Reives' utilities had been shut off. Her car broke down and she couldn’t afford the repairs. 

Rx Kids "came in and saved the day," she said. 

She used the first $500 to put gas in her husband's car and catch up on bills and groceries. She's also used the money to keep utilities on, pay phone bills, and buy diapers and wipes. 

"The payments only go until the baby is 6 months, so that gives a mother enough time to get on her feet before it stops," said Reives, who now works full time as a CNA.

Being more present 

Desarae Embry, a 24-year-old Detroit mom of three who works as a doula and balloon artist, said Rx Kids helped her "think more clearly.” 

Her first child was born with a rare condition, was hospitalized for more than a month and a half, and had to have surgery and relearn how to eat. Then, her second child was born when Embry and her husband had been going through a rough financial patch.

She received $1,500 in November, which she used to buy a bassinet and diapers, and got her last monthly $500 payment on May 1. She has been able to bond with her 5-month-old son and make sure he has "more than enough."

"My mental health started to take a turn for the better because we are doing better financially. ... I've been able to pour into myself more," Embry said.