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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
Rural children more than twice as likely to be homeless in Michigan
There aren’t enough early childhood education programs in the state to deal with the troubling rate of childhood homelessness, according to a new study. That could have lifelong ramifications.
Gov. Whitmer to Benton Harbor High: Raise scores, balance books or close
The state of Michigan released details of its one-year extension to the impoverished West Michigan school district. Improve performance of its high school or it will be closed next year and students sent to neighboring districts.
Teens raped in Michigan prisons can get day in court, Supreme Court says
The Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal made by the state in a lawsuit filed by former teen inmates alleging the Department of Corrections didn’t do enough to prevent them from being raped.
Where have all the babies gone? Michigan births lowest since 1944
In some counties, there are three funerals for every birth. That’s not a trend that bodes well for the state.
Suicides, often linked to opioids, spike in rural Michigan and among young
A new study finds links between two grim causes of death, but also poses some proven ways to reduce rates
In opioid war, studies urge medication. Michigan clinics push abstinence.
Slowly, addiction treatment centers in the state are shifting away from old-school abstinence to combining counseling with medication. But experts warn Michigan isn’t moving quickly enough
From opioid-fueled thief to grateful counselor to peers in Michigan
Kyle Hanshaw lied, stole and tricked doctors to get painkillers. Then he found a Bay City medication treatment program that worked.
Pregnant in rural Michigan? Fill up your gas tank for delivery day.
As rural hospitals close their obstetrics units, many mothers and their babies will pay a price in far longer journeys for hospital care
For some rural mothers, there’s no place like home (births)
Michigan midwives deliver hundreds of babies a year at home, an option that may be more attractive to rural expectant mothers with no hospitals nearby
In Michigan emergency rooms, a chance missed in the opioid crisis
Michigan lacks ER treatment with an opioid substitute that is saving lives in other states
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