Flint Halves Neonatal Mortality After Cash Program

Neonatal deaths in Flint, Michigan fell from 10 to 5 per 1,000 live births after the Rx Kids program launched.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Babies

Quiet residential street of brick and clapboard houses in early spring, with a folded baby stroller on a porch, illustrating the Flint family support story. — Neonatal deaths in Flint, Michigan fell from 10 to 5 per 1,000 live births after the Rx Kids cash program launched in January 2024. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Neonatal mortality in Flint, Michigan dropped from 10 to 5 deaths per 1,000 live births after the Rx Kids program launched in January 2024. Rx Kids provides extra cash to pregnant residents and their infants unconditionally.

Why it matters

Income tends to drop and expenses rise around a birth, and economic precarity can expose mothers and babies to health harms. The findings suggest direct cash support may reduce infant deaths in Flint and other Michigan communities.

Flint families receive $1,500 once during pregnancy and $500 per month in the baby's first year. Researchers compared 2025 neonatal deaths with those from 2021 through 2024, and the program is backed by public and private funds.

The players

Rx Kids

Rx Kids is a cash-transfer program for pregnant mothers and infants that is backed by public and private funds and has expanded to dozens of communities in Michigan and Ohio.

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, where a researcher involved in the Flint study is based.

The details

Rx Kids gives pregnant Flint residents and their infants unconditional cash, with nearly 100 percent of the community participating. Studies link the program to greater access to prenatal care and to lower preterm and low-weight birth rates.

January 2024: Rx Kids launches in Flint, Michigan.
2021 through 2024: Baseline period used for the mortality comparison.
2025: Neonatal mortality rates measured after launch.
November 2, 2026: Findings published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Roadmap

Rx Kids is a direct cash model that treats income support as a health intervention, and the Flint results add evidence to that approach. The program's expansion across Michigan and Ohio positions it as a template for other states weighing similar policies.

Families in Flint receive $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month in the baby's first year, which can ease prenatal care access. Readers in other communities should watch whether Rx Kids or similar programs expand to their area.

The takeaway

Direct cash support during pregnancy and infancy may be one practical lever for lowering infant mortality, especially where economic strain is high. Families facing pregnancy costs can ask local health providers whether cash or prenatal support programs are available.