Children & Families
About 1 in 5 children in Michigan live in poverty. Bridge will explore the reasons behind this disturbing result and the ideas to address it.
Articles
Inspired by Parkland, a surge in young voter registration in Michigan
Data obtained by Bridge show a spike in adults under 30 joining state voter rolls. But will young adults, who tend to vote Democratic, actually show up this fall? Or will they revert to form?
Timeline: President Trump’s efforts to repeal, dismantle Obamacare
In light of news that the Affordable Care Act appears to be stabilizing in Michigan, here's a look back at all of the attempts by President Donald Trump to dismantle the program.
Wobbly but upright, Obamacare still standing in Michigan
While it’s taken some hits, the Affordable Care Act is proving resilient. Premiums in Michigan are expected to flatten next year after years of spikes.
Where Michigan governor candidates stand on Obamacare, other health issues
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Bill Schuette offer Michigan voters a clear choice on healthcare issues. And nowhere are their policy differences more stark than on the Affordable Care Act.
Child care for this baby costs more than the University of Michigan
Politicians have plenty to say about college costs. Yet child care expenses can have a bigger impact for many families and businesses. And Michigan has done little to help middle-and-low-income parents.
Preschool works wonders for Flint water crisis kids. But funding is running out.
An innovative – but expensive preschool – is showing dramatic gains for youths exposed to lead in Flint. Money for operations runs out next year.
Michigan Roulette: The rise of a deadly street opioid
A street version of fentanyl is now responsible for more overdose deaths in Michigan than prescription medications. And white, working-class communities surrounding Detroit have been hit hardest of all.
For opioid addicts in Michigan, online help when no doctor is near
A clinic in Ann Arbor tackles opioid addiction with the help of the Internet
Facing deportation, he needs a miracle. A Detroit church may provide one.
An immigrant housed in a Detroit church to avoid deportation and his supporters talk about fears, hopes and why they think their plan could work
Amid brutal flu season, who gets vaccinated? Check our Michigan map.
Rural counties in Michigan and poor cities like Detroit are at the bottom for flu immunization
Raped and left on the road, she said #MeToo. Jurors said ‘No, not you.’
Michigan has made huge strides testing sexual assault evidence. But even in this era of reckoning, black women are deemed unworthy of rape.
Say her name: Shawana Hall. She is a hero.
Shawana Hall had a troubled life but persevered. She spoke up against all odds.
Price of specialty drugs spikes in Michigan
Michigan multiple sclerosis patients face a looming crisis in how to pay for medications that can cost upwards of $80,000 a year
CHIP health funding for Michigan children in jeopardy
After federal funds lapse for a popular program, insurance for more than 100,000 lower-income children is in limbo.
Flint lead pipe replacement could be jeopardized by CHIP stalemate
Michigan is spending $119 million in children's health funds to remove lead hazards from home.
Are teen prison rapes a violation of civil rights? A Michigan court is about to decide.
More than 900 juvenile prisoners have filed suit claiming they were harmed, some of them sexually, while being housed with adult inmates. Their case might never make it to a jury.
Detroit demo blitz linked to rising lead levels in children
(With map) City’s former health leader charges that officials considered health concerns a ‘nuisance,’ and focused solely on tearing down blighted homes fast.
It’s not just Flint: Michigan lead levels up after long decline
(With new statewide lead map) ‘It’s really unknown why,’ Michigan’s chief medical officer tells Bridge.
Michigan seniors learn they CAN lose their home on a reverse mortgage
For older residents who don’t read the fine print, a reverse mortgage can hold unpleasant surprises.
Reverse mortgage 101. Know the risks.
Reverse mortgages can be a financial lifeline for seniors on the budget. But slick promotions have often hidden the risks. Bridge explains the basics.