(BPRW) Mayor Mary Sheffield declares Detroit will be largest city in the nation to participate in Rx Kids

Groundbreaking Mom and Baby Cash program will launch in Detroit within the first 100 days of Mayor Sheffield’s Administration

(Black PR Wire) Mayor Mary Sheffield is wasting no time making history—again. Just four days after taking the oath of office, Mayor Sheffield announced today that Detroit will be the largest city in the nation to participate in Michigan State University’s Rx Kids, a transformational mom and baby cash prescription program designed to strengthen family financial security and improve health. With an estimated 8,000 babies born in Detroit each year, this historic expansion signals a bold new chapter for Detroit—setting a new national standard for how cities show up for families when it matters most.

“Detroit has always been a city that leads with heart and courage, and today we are once again setting a national standard by ensuring that every mother has real support, and every baby has a strong start,” said Mayor Sheffield. “ I spoke many times during my campaign about a renewed focus on key quality of life supports that directly impact Detroit families. I am proud to say that as Mayor of Detroit, I have fought hard to bring Rx Kids to Detroit, and have made it a priority to launch  this transformational program in the first 100 days of my administration. “Mayor Mary Sheffield today announced the reappointment of five experienced city government leaders with proven track records in key areas of Public Safety, Finance, Law, and Human Resources.

Enrollment for Rx Kids in the City of Detroit is anticipated to open within the first 100 days of Mayor Sheffield’s Administration. For many families, income drops and financial stress peaks during pregnancy and infancy—one of the most consequential periods for lifelong health and wellbeing. Rx Kids responds by providing a $1,500 cash prescription during pregnancy, followed by $500 per month throughout the baby’s first six months. With no strings attached, the program trusts families with the resources they need during one of the most critical and financially vulnerable periods of parenthood.

Rx Kids is a program of Michigan State University, led by Mona Hanna, MD, MPH, pediatrician and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. The program is administered by the international leader in cash transfers, GiveDirectly.

Rx Kids is a public–private partnership made possible by historic, bipartisan support from the State of Michigan, which committed $250 million for expansion of the program over three years in the FY2026 budget, matched by philanthropic, corporate, and local partners.

“RxKids is the nation’s first-ever program that puts $4,500 directly in the pockets of new moms to help them care for their babies while improving their finances and health, and I’m so proud that Mayor Sheffield is expanding it into Detroit,” said Governor Whitmer. “As families face the squeeze right now from high grocery, health care, and housing costs, we need to work together to make a real difference in their lives and ensure every baby born in Michigan gets a fair shot at a good life. With today’s expansion, we’re making it easier for every family with a newborn in Detroit to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table, and see a doctor when they need one. We will continue finding new ways to drive down costs, reduce poverty, and help more moms and babies live happy, healthy lives.”

The City of Detroit is investing $500,000 annually for three years ($1.5 million total), alongside generous support from The Skillman Foundation, GreenLight Fund Detroit, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Skyline Foundation, Ballmer Group, General Motors, Jamie and Denise Jacob Family Foundation, Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, and Huntington Bank—with opportunities for additional match funders to join prior to launch. The annual $4 million private and public local investment will potentially result in $105 million in cash payments to moms and infants and could be a huge boost to Detroit businesses and the City’s economy.

As the local Rx Kids Community Champion, the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office will support Rx Kids outreach, engagement and celebration. A unique aspect of the Detroit rollout is the Sheffield administration’s focus on wraparound service partnerships. The Rx Kids community resource page for Detroit will also direct participants to a network of City and partner services that have been streamlined to provide quick and easy program signups.

“We will ensure that basic needs programs such as utility and housing assistance, transportation and even free income tax preparation services are available so that families can either save their funds, add to their funds or use these supports to stretch their cash disbursements as far as they possibly can,” Mayor Sheffield said.

Since its launch, Rx Kids has transformed the lives of nearly 5,000 families in over 20 Michigan communities, delivering more than $20 million in cash prescriptions. Families use the cash prescriptions for essentials like rent, utilities, food, diapers, transportation, and medical care—driving measurable improvements in financial stability, maternal and infant health outcomes, and child welfare, while reducing costly health care utilization and strengthening local economies.

“Thanks to Mayor Sheffield’s bold and compassionate leadership, today marks a historic and groundbreaking moment – the beginning of a new era for moms and babies in Detroit – one that will fundamentally change the trajectory of health, hope, and opportunity from the very start.” said Dr. Hanna. “As a former Detroit pediatrician, I’ve cared for families during some of their most vulnerable moments. This kind of bold, upstream investment doesn’t just improve health for moms and babies – it strengthens families, stabilizes communities, and has the power to lift the health and future of the entire city.”

Mayor Sheffield announced the expansion of Rx Kids to Detroit at a press conference today at Franklin Wright Settlements. She was joined by Dr. Mona Hanna, community partners and pregnant mothers.

Families looking to learn more about Rx Kids should visit RxKids.org. Additional city resources can be found on the City of Detroit website. A future announcement will be made when the program is set to go live and enrollment opens. 

About Rx Kids

Rx Kids is a program led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly. Rx Kids is a public-private partnership made possible with generous support from the State of Michigan and a growing family of funders and supporters.

More potent than any prescribed pill, Rx Kids aims to improve health, hope, and opportunity. Science demonstrates the lifelong consequences of early adversity but also the promise of science-based, community-driven solutions. For many families, income plunges and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year. Built on the tremendous success of the expanded Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty to its lowest level in recorded history, and in line with global evidence, Rx Kids boldly reimagines how we care for each other by walking alongside families during the challenging time of pregnancy and infancy.

Source: City of Detroit