"POST 2/RESEARCH/HUMANIZING PARENTAL SUPPORT"

 

RX KIDS

There is an urgent, growing need to support parents in America—a need consistently ignored or undervalued by lawmakers. Inspired by this crisis, I researched the Rx Kids program in Flint, Michigan. Launched in 2024, Rx Kids provides new parents with $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month throughout the baby's first year. It’s a direct, unconditional investment in early childhood development and family stability—proving that when we fund parents, we strengthen future generations. This kind of support is especially crucial as the U.S. faces declining birth rates and increasing economic pressure on young families.

Yet, despite overwhelming evidence that strong parental support fosters healthier families and communities, policy remains staggeringly out of touch. In 23 states, paid family leave isn't guaranteed, and in many cases, only private insurance provides relief, leaving low-income parents in impossible situations. Instead of empowering families, many state laws now vilify parental involvement in schools and healthcare, favoring institutional control. We must urgently invest in social infrastructure: the essential services that uphold community well-being. If we want to raise healthy, resilient families. Programs like Rx Kids aren’t just helpful; they are a blueprint for what every family deserves.

Sources:

Michigan program gives new mothers thousands in cash | AP News

What is Social Infrastructure?

State Paid Family Leave Laws Across the U.S. | Bipartisan Policy Center

ART INTERVENTION

I want to gather raw audio recordings from parents sharing their struggles and realities of raising families. The mission is to create an immersive soundscape that confronts listeners with voices often silenced. Also, it would be ideal to amplify these recordings in a populated area, like the DMV for example, to place personal testimonies in public spaces. The project forces audiences to engage directly with the emotional truths of parenting and encouraging empathy for the challenges new families face.