Flint neonatal deaths fell 50% after Rx Kids, JAMA Pediatrics

According to a EurekAlert release from Michigan State University dated 3 November 2026, neonatal mortality in Flint, Michigan, fell by 50% after the launch of the Rx Kids program. The result comes from a peer-reviewed study in JAMA Pediatrics. Neonatal mortality is the death of an infant within the first 28 days of life. Early neonatal mortality, deaths within the first 7 days, fell by 74%. eurekalert.org

Neonatal mortality data for Flint

The researchers analyzed statewide birth and death records from 2021 through 2025 and compared Flint with the rest of Michigan. Before Rx Kids began, Flint's neonatal mortality rate was 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births, against 4.0 in the rest of the state. eurekalert.org

In 2025, one year after the program launched in Flint, the rate fell to 5.1 per 1,000 live births. In the rest of Michigan it remained virtually unchanged at 3.9. Early neonatal mortality in Flint fell from 7.9 to 2.0 per 1,000 live births. eurekalert.org

For the first time in the study period, the differences between Flint and the rest of Michigan in neonatal and early neonatal mortality were no longer statistically significant. eurekalert.org

Earlier research in The Lancet Public Health, cited in the release, estimated that after the launch Flint saw an 18% reduction in preterm births, a 27% reduction in low birth weight and a 29% reduction in neonatal intensive care unit admissions. Preterm birth and low birth weight are leading contributors to newborn mortality. eurekalert.org

The Rx Kids program

Rx Kids is described as the first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program in the United States. Participating families receive $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month during infancy. The program is led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly. eurekalert.org

It launched in Michigan in January 2024. According to the release, it now covers more than 60 communities and has served more than 18,000 families. eurekalert.org

The release lists several possible pathways linking financial security to infant survival. Earlier Rx Kids research reported improvements in housing stability, food hardship and maternal mental health, and more prenatal care use. Families also frequently report buying baby supplies such as cribs and bassinets, which may support safer sleep environments. eurekalert.org

The authors say they will keep examining infant and maternal mortality as more years of data and more Rx Kids communities become available. Future studies are to test whether the improvements are sustained and replicated in other populations and settings. eurekalert.org

JAMA Pediatrics: neonatal deaths in Flint fell 50% after Rx Kids cash program launch

Neonatal mortality data for Flint

The Rx Kids program

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