Genesee News

Federal Grant Will Help Improve the Lives of Children

FLINT—Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) On May 19, 2023, announced new federal funding to support the University of Michigan-Flint and support children and families in mid-Michigan.

The $466,637 grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development program, will help support university research to help prevent violence and improve the well-being of children.

“Every child deserves to live in a safe and healthy home. This federal grant will help set our children up for success,” Congressman Kildee said. “I am proud of the University of Michigan-Flint for their impactful work in our community. In Congress, I will continue working to bring federal resources back to mid-Michigan.”

“We’re grateful for Congressman Kildee’s support of this critical research. The goal of this NICHD-funded project is to examine the associations between parental physical abuse and the social-emotional development of young children within the context of gender inequality and violent norms, utilizing data from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The findings from this project will inform preventative interventions aimed at reducing gender disparities, parental physical violence, and improving child well-being in both local and global contexts.” said Dr. Julie Ma, Chair, Department of Social Work, School of Education and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Congressman Kildee has long-supported initiatives to improve outcomes for mid-Michigan children. Earlier this month, Kildee introduced legislation to improve the recruitment and retention of foster families for at-risk youth. Last July, Kildee announced $10 million for Head Start early childhood education programs in mid-Michigan.

 Original source can be found here.