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New Research Links Rx Kids to Boosts in Civic Engagement

November 4, 2025 - Tony Zammit

As voters head to the polls today, a new research brief reveals that Rx Kids, a first-in-the-nation community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program, is strengthening civic engagement, especially among women of childbearing age.

Led by Professor Corwin Smidt, a political scientist and interim director of the Institute of Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University, the research shows that after Rx Kids implementation in January 2024, City of Flint young women voted more than other Flint groups (older women and men) and they had higher voter turnout than peers in similar communities. The findings suggest that directly addressing the economy — the most common election day issue among voters — with a mom and baby cash prescription program may serve as a powerful tool for rebuilding the social contract and reinvigorating civic participation.

“Economic stability doesn’t just help families make ends meet—it also empowers civic participation,” said Corwin Smidt, a political scientist at Michigan State University. “When families have the resources to cover essentials like childcare and transportation, and the mental space to engage, they’re more likely to vote. The early findings from Rx Kids show that this kind of support improves both financial security and psychological wellbeing. That’s a powerful signal that smart, targeted policy can help strengthen democracy from the ground up.”

Rx Kids launched in Flint in 2024 as a public-private partnership offering $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month for the first six to twelve months of a baby’s life—no strings attached. To date, the program has reached more than 3,800 families in 11 Michigan communities and inspired a $270 million expansion in the FY2026 State of Michigan budget.

Key findings from the research brief include:
  • Increased Voter Turnout: Flint women aged 18–34 saw the largest increase in voter turnout in 2024—8.7 percentage points higher than in 2020.
  • Rx Kids Effect: Mothers enrolled in Rx Kids were nearly 5 percentage points more likely to vote than their non-enrolled counterparts.
  • Re-engaging Nonvoters: Among young Flint women who didn’t vote in 2020, Rx Kids enrollees were 10 percentage points more likely to vote in 2024 than non-enrollees.
  • Higher Trust in Government: Data from an additional survey shows Rx Kids-enrolled mothers report greater trust in government than mothers in Flint before the program and those in nearby communities.

“Rx Kids is proving that when we walk alongside families with trust and support, we don’t just improve health—we build hope, agency, and civic power,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean for public health at Michigan State University.




The research brief adds to growing evidence that Rx Kids is a model for how targeted, economic support during early life can reshape outcomes for families and communities. To learn more about Rx Kids and access the full research brief, visit RxKids.org/Civic-Engagement.