[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6233803,"mediaKeyId","3414300-b7bf841dc33b3df91ee1c16c7be727b8","parentId",3414300,"title","Pediatrician tells committee Rx Kids cash prescriptions linked to earlier prenatal care, lower smoking and fewer child‑welfare allegations","audioSeconds",1597,"startMs",2161000,"endMs",3758000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3414300-b7bf841dc33b3df91ee1c16c7be727b8&start=2161&end=3758","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3414300-b7bf841dc33b3df91ee1c16c7be727b8/thumbnail_2161000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6233803/Michigan/Pediatrician-tells-committee-Rx-Kids-cash-prescriptions-linked-to-earlier-prenatal-care-lower-smoking-and-fewer-childwelfare-allegations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233803-1c572ac8343f4e13baec5f1eff79dcde/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177672&Signature=eboK~TWFZtUrNnZrybx--WOj9ZhwrGAKIVoZWJ~md~nY498F1Bt6aAXyvmA958NGEZSVg~7aSgR2-Q-xQge03grCODn8jL9usB2O-3uKVl5tFCtM7bBzlbwtf4xvxiKQNqxN2zcZwYAsV4LmG1AkFebjSzIbX9-Ik~wopJyoL6A4BdUBRl6i98uqhhHgIGQ8IPCMnH-SU15U~O0cueflW5PyEOyqM6m8kn8qdn-2KJsZD7OL9D-DunX6M3t3Yazwa1ctcmPGIZi3ySdxESQWI-CBA7jyvVc12UddwjTPGXIXMML3X~IhYzcCJsOc3LDMMWqeD8lKtDnpFlCIuMu2CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan House of Representatives","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","Dr. Mona Hanna, associate dean for public health at Michigan State University and a pediatrician, told the House Families and Veterans Committee that Rx Kids — a public‑private program that delivers cash to pregnant mothers and caregivers — is associated with measurable improvements in prenatal care, maternal wellbeing and some birth outcomes in communities where it has been implemented.

Hanna described the program design: a $1,500 prenatal cash prescription followed by monthly $500 infant payments (in some communities) for either six or 12 months depending on local fundraising. She said the program uses a TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) provision called nonrecurring short‑term benefits (NRST) to fund the prenatal payment and the first three infant payments for low‑income families, while philanthropic funds and other public dollars cover additional community expansion and enable broader eligibility.

Why it matters: Hanna said the program is focused on a time of elevated economic vulnerability — prenatal through the first year of life — and that evidence suggests short, targeted cash transfers in that window can reduce later costs to child welfare, neonatal intensive care and other public programs. Hanna cited administrative and evaluation data from Flint and other pilot sites showing increased prenatal care uptake, reductions in smoking during pregnancy, fewer NICU admissions and a decline in child‑welfare allegations.

Program reach and finance: Hanna said Rx Kids launched in January 2024 in Flint and expanded to Kalamazoo, Pontiac and five counties in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, among other places. She said the initiative has $10,000,000 in cash distributed to date and that the project has secured commitments totaling roughly $105,000,000 in public and philanthropic funding over the last two years, but later clarified that not all committed funds are held as cash on hand and that invoicing to government and philanthropic partners is the mechanism used to deliver funds.

Administration and costs: Rx Kids uses an outside payments administrator (GiveDirectly) for low‑overhead delivery, Hanna said, and she told lawmakers that program overhead does not exceed about 15 percent. She described local funding matches from cities and counties (for example, Kalamazoo and Pontiac) and philanthropic contributions (Stryker Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation and others) used to extend the monthly payments beyond the TANF‑funded portion.

Evidence and outcomes: Hanna summarized program evaluation results she described as “pretty awesome,” including improved housing and nutrition security, increased prenatal care in the first trimester, reductions in third‑trimester smoking, better birth weights and gestational age, lower NICU use, and a decrease in child‑welfare reports in pilot areas. She also cited a Flint Chamber analysis estimating roughly a 1.57 return on investment locally and a modeled statewide savings figure discussed in program materials.

Questions and concerns: Legislators asked about overlap with existing DHHS programs and TANF, potential vulnerability to federal TANF policy changes, duration of monthly payments, take‑up rates and accountability for committed funds. Hanna said the NRST TANF provision allows short‑term cash without triggering lifetime benefits/work requirement limits, but acknowledged uncertainty about future federal policy changes. She said the duration of monthly payments (six versus 12 months) depends on how much local philanthropic and public match funding is available. Hanna described take‑up as “near‑universal” in pilot sites (percentage not specified) and volunteered to provide additional data and longitudinal research results as evaluations continue.

Notable quote and story: Hanna shared a family story from Flint — a mother who participated in planning and later received Rx Kids support after moving into recovery — and said, “this program made my family whole again,” attributing the quote to the child’s mother to illustrate how one family used the cash to buy diapers, car seats and other basics and to regain custody of older children.

Research and next steps: Hanna said MSU and program partners are conducting longitudinal evaluations, including large‑scale administrative data analysis and maternal surveys, to track outcomes beyond the first year of life and to model long‑term fiscal impacts. She also noted that the governor’s executive budget included $20,000,000 to continue Rx Kids expansion.

Ending: Committee members thanked Hanna; no formal action or vote occurred during the hearing. Members raised questions about federal TANF changes and work requirements and requested follow‑up information on program finances, take‑up rates and longer‑term outcome data.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Families and Veterans | Tuesday, May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Mona Hanna described Rx Kids, a program that delivers a $1,500 prenatal payment and $500 monthly infant payments in some communities, and presented early data showing improved prenatal care, reduced smoking in pregnancy, fewer NICU stays and fewer child‑welfare allegations; funding relies on TANF NRST and philanthropy.","taxTitle","Families, Children and Seniors, House of Representative, Committees\t\t\t\t\t, Legislative, Michigan","taxId",27464,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6233809,"Highfields CEO urges state to preserve family‑preservation services, warns of funding threats",1681,479000,2160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3414300-b7bf841dc33b3df91ee1c16c7be727b8&start=479&end=2160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3414300-b7bf841dc33b3df91ee1c16c7be727b8/thumbnail_479000.jpg","/articles/6233809/Michigan/Highfields-CEO-urges-state-to-preserve-familypreservation-services-warns-of-funding-threats","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233809-dc3e6de90e194814858fb806806056e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177672&Signature=Zfd~yPr~XABKZzyrRa0phvM1K1z-fb16J94f1vs8k-17GBph3N2MF5VozLrPyV-KyaNnqlCph2yYpdORAn0J5Q-MiSnOqZalJSz4ZTY0dOPgFOulr1Ob-Uhb1bLP-85IzIU2-YRsv~MEG7o0eJOoYFpY7NbZ~jMvKUQsBD3JgxA5OspuM3sqWk9BUi-V0ZuZFMwCLLeUVkYO-Gly9iAKSnJwtw6bM3bfUf1lSfBFZwOc5FocCAPcDkIP0-kk1JrkOb2J6Mz~gcRWPNrQyKmR1FR23yKEMnQ0KC5vFxI7YZBzqhvOQZgfIkazkQodoW0O9YgNMvfSUZB2bfw7RrdjWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brian Filson, CEO of Highfields, told the Michigan House Families and Veterans Committee that preserving family‑preservation services and the provider network is essential to keeping children safely at home and avoiding more costly out‑of‑home placements.

Filson, who leads Highfields and said he will begin his 20th year there after two decades in juvenile justice, described the agency’s three primary divisions — residential, educational and community services — and urged continued state support for provider reimbursement and cost‑of‑living increases.

Filson said Highfields now serves 10 counties and that its work focuses on stabilizing families, strengthening parenting skills and empowering households so children can remain in their homes. “We stabilize, we strengthen, and then we go on to empower them,” Filson said. He added that the residential program is now the smallest of the agency’s offerings and that most work occurs in community services and education programs.

Why it matters: Filson told lawmakers that preventive, in‑home and community‑based services are more effective and less expensive than removing children from their homes and placing them in foster care or residential treatment. He cited a variety of risk factors — poverty, parental incarceration, substance use and pandemic aftereffects — and argued that bolstering prevention reduces long‑term juvenile justice and child‑welfare costs.

Details and examples: Filson described Highfields’ after‑school operations — five sites in Jackson County, four in Ingham and one in Eaton County — that serve about 30 children per day at each location and provide homework help, dinner and transportation. He said Highfields’ residential program typically serves youth aged roughly 13–17 and commonly runs about six months, with some stays extending to eight or nine months depending on needs.

Filson gave case examples to illustrate outcomes. He described a young single father who was awarded custody of an infant after the child’s mother died; Highfields staff provided car seats, beds and parenting support, and Filson said the child was doing “amazingly well” two years later. He also recounted the story of a boy who first joined Highfields’ after‑school program while living in a homeless shelter; Filson said the student later spoke at a fundraising breakfast about the program’s positive effect.

Capacity and system issues: Filson told the committee the state has recently faced a shortage of placement capacity, producing wait lists for residential care. He said Highfields had about 10 youth on its waiting list at the time of his testimony and that some counties, because of long waits, have sent youth out of state. Filson said county and state systems must address capacity and rates to keep providers viable.

Committee exchange and follow‑up: Committee members asked about addiction, LGBTQ‑identified youth, gender‑affirming care, and whether Highfields’ residential sites were co‑ed; Filson said the residential facility he discussed is not co‑ed and described efforts to meet the needs of youth who identify as LGBTQI. Representative Thompson pressed on whether youths’ sentences sometimes await placement in a residential program; Filson said the state has reduced wait lists but that placement demand can still exceed supply. Representative Johnson asked about faith‑based partnerships; Filson said churches and service clubs provide material support and volunteer effort.

No formal committee vote or directive followed the testimony. Filson invited committee members to visit Highfields’ renovated administrative and residential hub; he said the facility renovation was funded through a state infrastructure grant and a dedication is planned in July. Chair Schmaltz and members expressed interest in arranging a visit.

Discussion versus decision: Filson’s presentation and the committee Q&A were discussion and informational; the committee did not take formal action on funding or policy during the hearing.

Ending: Lawmakers thanked Filson for the briefing and noted the state’s ongoing juvenile justice reforms and rate‑setting work that Filson cited as important to maintaining the provider network.","Brian Filson, CEO of Highfields, told the House Families and Veterans Committee that family‑preservation and in‑home services reduce foster placements, but the provider network faces funding and capacity threats including potential federal and Medicaid changes.","actionData","errors"]

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Pediatrician tells committee Rx Kids cash prescriptions linked to earlier prenatal care, lower smoking and fewer child‑welfare allegations

Highfields CEO urges state to preserve family‑preservation services, warns of funding threats