Rx Kids Expands to Eastern Ohio, Bringing Maternal and Infant Health Program to Belmont County
Enrollment opens November 16 for residents in Belmont County
Press Release
In partnership with the Community Action Commission of Belmont County, Rx Kids announced its launch in Belmont County, Ohio, bringing the nation’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash prescription program to families in eastern Ohio.
As families across the country struggle with rising costs, Rx Kids offers a simple, immediate solution to help parents afford the essentials during pregnancy and infancy. This is a time when families often experience a drop in income just as expenses increase, from diapers and groceries to housing, transportation, and baby supplies. By easing these financial pressures, Rx Kids improves maternal and infant health while giving parents greater financial stability and peace of mind.
Eligible Belmont County families can enroll to receive a one-time $1,500 payment during mid-pregnancy and $500 per month for the first six months of their baby’s life. Parents decide how best to use the funds to meet their family’s needs.
“Investing in our children and supporting families from the very beginning of life is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our community”, said Vince Gianangeli, Belmont County Commissioner. “As a County Commissioner, I understand that the future of Belmont County depends on the well-being of our next generation. We are proud to welcome this initiative and look forward to the positive difference it will make in the lives of families throughout our county.”
Since launching in Michigan in January 2024, Rx Kids has expanded to more than 60 urban and rural communities, served more than 19,000 families, and demonstrated the health, economic, and community impacts of direct financial support during pregnancy and infancy.
In September, Rx Kids began its first national expansion, launching in parts of Cleveland, Ohio. The addition of Belmont County extends that momentum into eastern Ohio, where the program is expected to reach more than 500 babies born annually in the county each year.
“Everyone is talking about affordability, but families need solutions now. And there are few times in life when affordability matters more than when you’re having a baby,” said Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “Rx Kids is a simple, proven solution that puts money directly into parents’ hands and improves maternal and infant health. We’re thrilled to bring this proven solution to Belmont County because every family deserves a little more financial breathing room, and every baby deserves the healthiest possible start.”
Pregnancy and the earliest months of life represent one of the greatest opportunities to improve lifelong health, yet they are also among the most financially challenging times for families. As parents prepare for a new baby, household expenses rise while many families simultaneously experience a loss of income due to pregnancy, childbirth, recovery, caregiving responsibilities, or limited access to paid family leave.
A growing body of national and global evidence demonstrates that reducing these financial pressures improves maternal and infant health and strengthens families. Emerging findings from Michigan show increased prenatal care, reductions in preterm birth and low birthweight, improved financial stability, fewer Child Protective Services investigations, positive economic impacts, and a reduction in neonatal mortality following the launch of Rx Kids. These findings demonstrate the potential for simple place-based investments to improve health at the population level.
“Welcoming a new baby should be a time of celebration, not one overshadowed by financial stress,” said Alaire King, Executive Director of Community Action Commission of Belmont County. “Rx Kids helps ease that burden by providing meaningful support to expectant and new mothers during this critical stage of life. CAC is incredibly proud to serve as the Community Champion for this initiative and to help bring this important investment in the health and future of Belmont County families to our community.”
Belmont Expansion Funded by Foundation Founded by Tom Claugus
The expansion to Belmont County is made possible by a generous gift from The Foundation for a Better World. The Community Action Commission of Belmont County will serve as the Community Champion for Rx Kids in the county, leading community outreach, engagement, and cross-sector collaboration with healthcare providers, local government, and community organizations to ensure the program reaches every eligible family.
“Our founder, Tom Claugus, grew up in Belmont County, and finding a way to reach the whole community rather than one corner of it is what brought us to Rx Kids,” said Adam Hoffman, President, The Foundation for a Better World. “The evidence behind the program in Michigan is strong. Rural families in Eastern Ohio face the same financial pressure during pregnancy and the first months of a baby’s life, often with fewer places to turn, and they should have the same opportunity.”
Read the 2019 Barnesville Area Education Foundation Hall of Fame Press Release on Claugus HERE.
Enrollment will open at 9 am on November 16, 2026. Eligible participants must be at least 16 weeks pregnant at enrollment, and newborns must be born on or after November 1, 2026. To learn more or enroll, visit RxKids.org.
Rx Kids is a national maternal and infant health program led by Michigan State University and administered by GiveDirectly.
About Rx Kids
Rx Kids is the nation’s first-ever, community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program, founded and directed by Dr. Mona Hanna, pediatrician and Associate Dean of Public Health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Administered by GiveDirectly, the global leader in cash transfers, Rx Kids has efficiently delivered direct support to thousands of families across dozens of communities—strengthening family financial security, improving maternal and infant health, and boosting local economies.
Rx Kids is built on a strong network of partners who bring together academic leadership, community expertise, and public–private investment to make this vision possible. Co-founded by Michigan State University and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, Rx Kids is implemented in partnership with local Community Champions and stakeholders who drive outreach, engagement, and celebration. Sustained through a robust public–private partnership that blends state investment with philanthropic and other support, Rx Kids reimagines what’s possible with a prescription for health, hope, and opportunity.
(Michigan State University College of Human Medicine press release)
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