About this episode

Published May 21st, 2026, 05:05 pm

Money is getting tighter. The cost of life can be even more daunting if you have a kids. Children are expensive — diapers, food, clothing, and so much more.

We don’t have statewide paid family leave in Michigan, but a public-private partnership has tried to ease the cost burden. Rx Kids provides unrestricted cash to mothers who are at least 16 weeks pregnant or to guardians who have a child who is six months or younger. It began in Flint two years ago. Now, Rx Kids has expanded to dozens of communities across Michigan.

What have the impacts been for moms and kids? And, why is Rx Kids popular among people and places across the political spectrum?

Nushrat Rahman is the Economic Mobility Reporter at the Detroit Free Press and BridgeDetroit. She spoke with The Metro's Robyn Vincent.

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