Dearborn Public Health secures $1 million federal grant for infant and maternal health
Published June 28, 2024
DEARBORN, MI – The City of Dearborn announced today that the Department of Public Health (DPH) will be awarded a $1 million federal grant to improve maternal and infant health in Dearborn. The grant, secured with support from U.S. Senator Gary Peters, allows the City to support families in the earliest period of a child’s life by developing and tailoring programs for expectant mothers.
The City's initiative, titled Supporting Expectant and New Mothers in Dearborn (SENMD), is part of a larger effort led by Sen. Peters to prioritize key local Michigan projects in the final federal government funding legislation. In Dearborn, these funds will provide crucial support to families throughout the city.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud stated, "We are grateful to Senator Peters for his support. With his help, this funding will enhance our efforts to provide critical resources and support to expectant and new mothers, ensuring that every child in our community has a healthy start in life."
The first year of life is crucial for a child's development and long-term health, yet it is also a period of acute economic crisis as family incomes drop and poverty spikes. Dearborn faces a significant child poverty crisis. Today, 38 percent of Dearborn’s children live below the federal poverty line—a margin that is 12 percent higher than the city's overall poverty rate (25%) and almost three times the state poverty rate (13.5 percent).
Ali Abazeed, Dearborn’s Chief Public Health Officer, stated, "Poverty is not an accident; it is a deliberate policy choice. Childhood poverty is a moral abomination that devastates human health and potential. Uprooting poverty is foundational to our public health mission in Dearborn, and this award is a powerful endorsement of our commitment to people closest to the pain. We celebrate the award of these funds on behalf of our residents.”
Recognizing the prevalence and challenges of childhood poverty, and the acute impact it has on children’s health and development, the Dearborn Department of Public Health consulted national and state elected officials, as well as regional partners, to identify funding, programs, and other methods to support expectant parents, new mothers, and their infant children during the most critical first year.
Abazeed added, “We’re incredibly grateful to Senator Gary Peters for spearheading this funding allocation and supporting Dearborn's broader commitment to health equity and community empowerment. This initiative will provide critical programming for mothers and children when they are most in need. This is in direct alignment with the DPH vision of health.”
Dearborn’s use of federal grant dollars to support expectant families has been applauded by leading health experts, including Dr. Mona Hanna. Dr. Hanna is the Associate Dean for Public Health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, a nationally-recognized pediatrician, and founder of Rx Kids—the first citywide cash prescription program in the country for pregnant moms and infants.
Offering her support for the initiative, Dr. Hanna, stated, "Child poverty is not inevitable. The Dearborn Department of Public Health is leading the nation with its bold efforts to redefine the social contract and uplift kids and families. This funding will allow Dearborn to strategically invest in the health and well-being of our youngest babies and their families—an investment in all of us."
More information and updates regarding the initiative will be provided on the City’s website and via Dearborn DPH social media, @DearbornDPH on Facebook and Instagram.
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