Rx Kids Program

Guy Miller, Berrien County Health Officer, Lisa Cripps-Downey, President of the Berrien Community Foundation, and Al Mussman, retired local businessman, presented information on The Rx Kids Program. They shared that it provides cash assistance to families during pregnancy and the first 6 months of their baby’s life. F

The program addresses the problem of high infant mortality in some low-income communities. The two factors that contribute to a high mortality rate are low birthweight and lack of prenatal care. A family experiences a large financial burden at the birth of a child, and that may limit their ability to access good prenatal care and meet their basic needs. “Rx Kids” provides direct cash assistance to anyone living in a community with a high Medicaid population. In Berrien County, that is Benton Harbor, Benton Harbor Township, Niles, and Buchanan.