When her grandmother died, Gabrielle Ekstrum did not cry. She was days away from giving birth to her second son, and she was focused on his arrival and all that she would need to do for him. But once Lukas was born, Ekstrum says, “I cried nonstop for two weeks.”

MSU Awarded $700,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Research for Action Coordinating Center Grant for the Planning Year

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and Flint residents have been awarded one of three competitive coordinating center grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) through its Health Equity Research for Action (HERA) program.

Law enforcement, first responders, attorneys, and criminal justice professionals spend their careers confronting trauma, whether in courtrooms, interrogation rooms, or on the front lines of law enforcement. That work, while essential, can carry a steep personal cost. 

A suicide prevention program tested by researchers from Michigan State University and Brown University cut suicide attempts by more than half among people recently released from pretrial jail detention, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. 

A new study led by a Michigan State University researcher shows that poverty experienced by women after leaving prison not only limits their choices, but also temporarily reduces their ability to think clearly and solve problems. 

Michigan State University, in collaboration with residents of Flint, Michigan, is spearheading an innovative, community-driven initiative to strengthen the mental health of adolescents in Genesee County.

The Family Law Navigation Model, a pilot project developed by a Michigan State University researcher, provides early intervention in family legal issues to keep them from becoming more complicated.

The MIRACLE Center, a partnership among Michigan State University, Henry Ford Health, and Corewell Health, is expanding a new maternal health project into Wayne County. Any outpatient clinic, community-based group, or social service agency serving pregnant or postpartum people can receive free technical assistance by contacting the project team at miracle.qi@msu.edu. 

Rx Kids Delivers Health and Economic Gains for Moms and Babies in Flint, Michigan

Two new studies reveal that Rx Kids—America’s first community-wide prenatal and infant cash program—is transforming health and economic outcomes for families.  

A team of researchers from Michigan State University and community partners has conducted critical research to address gaps in the treatment of substance use disorder in Michigan’s St. Clair County and the city of Port Huron. This research, culminating in support resources, comes in time for September: National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

People in Flint are concerned about elevated cancer rates, particularly multiple myeloma, and possible links to environmental exposures where they live, work, and play. For many in the community, a lack of high-quality reporting on cancer rates in the wake of the Flint water crisis can be highly distressing, worrisome, and frustrating.

Rx Kids, a first-of-its-kind program designed to eliminate poverty and improve health, has passed a major milestone in Michigan: over $10 million in cash prescriptions directly to enrolled moms, babies, and families – and entire communities – since launching in Flint in 2024.

The plug-and-play program has since expanded to the cities of Kalamazoo and Pontiac, and to the eastern Upper Peninsula counties of Chippewa, Schoolcraft, Luce, Alger, and Mackinac with plans to expand to more communities throughout 2025.