A new prescription for Cleveland families: Rx Kids launches a fresh approach to maternal and infant health

For many parents, the months surrounding the birth of a child can bring profound financial uncertainty. Time away from work, rising household expenses and the need for diapers, food, housing and other necessities can place significant strain on families at a time when stability matters most. Now, First Year Cleveland (FYC) at Case Western Reserve University's Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences is supporting a new program that aims to change that equation by putting resources directly into families' hands.

Rx Kids, a groundbreaking maternal and infant health program led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly will launch in Cleveland as its first expansion outside Michigan. Every pregnant mother enrolled in the program will receive $1,500 during pregnancy, followed by $500 per month for their baby’s first six months of life. The initial focus will be in Cleveland ZIP codes with the highest rates of infant mortality and child poverty, with the goal of eventually covering all of the approximately 4,000 births in Cleveland each year.

FYC’s role as an Rx Kids community champion is to ensure that families—and the organizations that support them—are aware of this new resource. A dedicated Rx Kids navigator will work in Cleveland to help mothers enroll in the program, access their payments, and connect them, when appropriate, with other community services.

“As a backbone organization for maternal and infant health in Cleveland, we can provide wraparound, continuous support for women,” said Angela Newman-White, executive director of FYC. “We want to get the word out and make sure everyone knows about the program, so that as many people as possible can benefit.”

A different kind of program

Rx Kids’ approach is intentionally different from traditional support programs. Unlike programs that require families to qualify for multiple services or complete additional requirements, Rx Kids provides direct cash support with no additional prerequisites. The goal is simple: provide families with resources during one of their most financially vulnerable periods and allow them to decide how those resources should be used.

“We're most excited about the opportunity to pour directly into families,” said Newman-White. “This is an opportunity to trust women and families to do what they need to do with this support, so it's an opportunity to shift the power to the community.”

That flexibility matters. Income often drops during pregnancy and around the time of birth as parents take time away from work. Cleveland families are also navigating significant housing instability. The city recorded 6,651 eviction court filings in the past year, an 8% increase from its 2023–2024 baseline. Especially concerning, Cleveland’s rates of preterm birth, low birth weight and NICU admissions are higher than state and national figures: From 2022 to 2024, 14.8% of Cleveland births were preterm, 14% were low birth weight and 15.3% resulted in a NICU admission.

“The infant mortality rate is internationally understood to measure the health of an entire community,” said Stacey Hren, managing director of FYC. “If we can invest and reduce that rate here, we have the potential to make Cleveland healthier and safer for women and families.”

A proven model

Michigan’s experience with Rx Kids demonstrates what can happen when families receive direct financial support at this critical time. Since its launch, the program has reached more than 15,000 Michigan families and distributed more than $50 million. In Flint, Michigan, where the program began, research has associated Rx Kids with a 91% reduction in evictions among participating families, an 18% decrease in preterm births, a 27% decrease in low-birth-weight births and a 29% decrease in NICU admissions. Researchers have also found improvements in prenatal care, maternal mental health and reductions in food and diaper hardship.

“Rx Kids has effectively eliminated evictions in this population,” Hren said. “That’s in just two years. Based on the success in Michigan, I am excited about the extreme shifts we could see right here in Cleveland. We’re going to have more full-term babies, happier families and more thriving communities.” 

The investment also has the potential to benefit Cleveland’s broader economy, since families often spend the allocated money locally, with most reporting they spend their money on baby supplies like diapers and formula, along with food, rent, and utilities. Research from Michigan estimates that every dollar invested in Rx Kids generates an additional $0.60 to $3 in local economic activity. Michigan estimates that every $1 million it invests generates $2.5 million in savings.

As the program kicks off in Cleveland, the initial fundraising goal is $42 million, which would support the program for two years and allow every mother in the city to participate. But the long-term vision is even broader: demonstrate that an investment in families can improve health outcomes, strengthen economic stability and create healthier communities—first in Cleveland and, ultimately, throughout Ohio.

“We are setting the stage for the entire state of Ohio,” Newman-White says. “Our success could yield thousands and thousands of moms thriving not only in Cleveland but everywhere else. We have the power to support healthier babies, healthier families and healthier communities.”

Rx Kids officially launched Sept. 1 and already has numerous mothers approved and enrolled in the program. On Sept. 19, the program will celebrate its launch with a baby parade event at League Park, 6601 Lexington Avenue, from 10 a.m. to noon.