Flint Cash Support Program Linked to Fewer Child Welfare Cases, Study Finds
Research shows Flint’s direct cash program for pregnant women and new mothers reduced child welfare investigations by 32% in the program’s first year.
FLINT, MICHIGAN — A new study found that Flint’s direct cash support program for pregnant women and new mothers led to a significant decline in Child Protective Services investigations, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics.
The study by researchers from the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Michigan State University showed a 7-percentage-point decrease in the investigated allegation rate among infants born in Flint. This represents a 32% decrease compared to the period before the Rx Kids program launched.
Rx Kids provides prenatal and infant direct cash support to families. The program began in Flint and has since expanded throughout Michigan.
Dramatic Reduction in Child Welfare Cases
Before Rx Kids implementation, 21.7% of infants in Flint faced investigated allegations within their first six months of life. That figure represented 646 of 2,971 infants during the three years prior to the program’s launch in 2024.
After the program started, the investigated allegation rate dropped to 15.5%, affecting 165 of 1,065 infants. By comparison, control cities saw their rate remain at 20.6%, with 1,303 of 6,317 infants experiencing investigations.
The control cities had an investigated allegation rate of 19.5% before Rx Kids implementation, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s pediatrics section.
Preventing Dozens of Investigations
Researchers estimate the program prevented approximately 57 infants from experiencing child welfare investigations during its first year of operation. The Rx Kids team released a statement celebrating the study’s findings as evidence of the benefits provided by economic support during pregnancy and early infancy.
“These findings, now published in JAMA Pediatrics, underscore the powerful role that economic stability plays in protecting children,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, Rx Kids director, according to the program’s press release.
Statewide Expansion
The success in Flint has led to the program’s expansion across Michigan. The direct cash support initiative provides financial assistance to pregnant women and families with infants, addressing economic instability that researchers say can contribute to child welfare concerns.
The study adds to growing evidence that direct cash assistance programs can have measurable impacts on family stability and child welfare outcomes. The research focused specifically on investigated allegations rather than substantiated cases of abuse or neglect.
The findings come as policymakers across the country examine various approaches to supporting families and reducing child welfare system involvement through preventive measures rather than reactive interventions.
