To help mothers in need is to walk the talk of supporting the dignity of human life at every stage, which we as Catholics commemorate in an intentional way each October during Respect Life Month.
With gratitude to individuals, parishes, pregnancy centers, and Catholic Charities agencies, the Catholic Church for years has done just that: walked with mothers in need.
Whether it is a complicated home situation, no employment or underemployment, unreliable child care, or any number of economic or social realities, there are numerous difficulties in day-to-day life that pregnant women may face.
It is very hard raising a child or being pregnant with little to no support.
A pregnant mother may need assistance acquiring basic needs for herself or her children — food, clothing, and baby supplies such as diapers or a crib. She may need a hand accessing affordable health care to ensure a safer pregnancy and birth for herself and her baby. She may need help just getting a roof over her head, as affordable housing can be a common concern. Is reliable transportation — to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, babysitter — available for her?
For women facing economic challenges — including those in difficult or unexpected pregnancies — meeting these needs is even more challenging without the support of a husband or caregiver. Without resources or a network of support, one can see why some women may not have the confidence to bring their babies to term, instead resorting to what they unfortunately believe may be the only option to ease their burdens: abortion.
The Catholic Church understands the very real experiences families and mothers face, having been engaged in helping the less fortunate for centuries. This is why the Church is eager to work at the ground level to support women whose daily realities in life make pregnancy or raising a child difficult. The purpose is to ensure every woman knows she does not have to face pregnancy alone and the resources she needs are indeed available.
This is why Michigan Catholic Conference was encouraged to see the state Legislature provide bipartisan approval to a state budget with a substantial investment — $270 million total over three years — toward the Rx Kids program, which is the state’s prenatal and infant support program that provides direct financial help to pregnant women and newborns.
Rx Kids began as a pilot project in Flint. It provided a $1,500 payment to local pregnant mothers who sign up, and then $500 per month for up to one year after birth. With both state and private investment, the program has so far expanded to both urban and rural areas, including Metro Detroit communities such as Pontiac, Hazel Park, and Royal Oak Township.
Any pregnant woman living within the applicable geographic boundaries is eligible for Rx Kids funding, but data show most recipients are those who need assistance the most; more than 60% of enrollees reported having an annual household income of $20,000 or less.
Providing for a child is expensive for any family. For lower-income households, any additional assistance would help ease the financial stress of simply trying to make ends meet. Rx Kids program recipients have reported using the money primarily to pay for baby supplies, food, rent, utility bills, and transportation.
This crucial support provided to mothers is why MCC has supported funding for Rx Kids and its expansion in state budgets, as well as separate legislation to make the program a permanent part of state law.
Increased funding toward the Rx Kids program joins other provisions in the state budget that help families in need. Funding will continue for organizations that distribute diapers for free, for example, as will a separate initiative that provides free car seats to families with newborns.
The state budget is a moral statement containing the priorities officials believe should be funded with taxpayer dollars. The Church has always called for special attention to the poor and most vulnerable in our society and will always do so to promote and protect the dignity of all people. Pregnant mothers in need, as well as their unborn children, are among those who deserve particular care and attention.
A state budget that allocates state resources toward helping mothers in need is one tangible way that public officials can walk the talk of supporting life at every stage. And that deserves support.
The Word from Lansing is a regular column for Catholic news outlets provided by Michigan Catholic Conference, the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.
