Sacramento – Newborn babies in California will not be left empty-handed.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday that the state is partnering with Baby2Baby to provide 400 free diapers to every newborn baby. Baby2Baby is a California-based national nonprofit that provides clothing and other basic needs to children.
The governor said this will help families cope with the rising cost of living.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a 45% increase in the price of diapers,” Newsom said, speaking at a news conference in San Francisco. “One in four families skip meals to pay for diapers.”
The new program, called Golden State Start, will launch this summer. Participating hospitals will distribute diapers to families at the time of discharge. Forty million diapers will be distributed during the first year of the program, with the goal of later expanding the program to provide 160 million diapers.
Newsom said the state will prioritize hospitals that serve large numbers of parents enrolled in Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal Medicaid program that provides health care coverage to low-income Americans. The state plans to expand with additional hospitals and delivery centers later.
The Governor described this program as the first of its kind in the country.
He said, “We are not copying; we are a model for others.”
Kim Johnson, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said the initiative will help families enjoy the first few weeks at home with their new baby.
“The first days at home with a newborn should be focused on the love, connection and joy of an extended family, not on stress about buying diapers,” Johnson said in a statement. “This program helps ensure that families can begin that journey with greater stability and peace of mind.”
The National Diaper Bank Network, a national nonprofit that tracks diaper insecurity, found that nearly 60% of low-income families nationwide struggle with diaper costs and rely on less-frequent changes. The organization said that dirty diapers put children at risk of rashes or urinary tract infections.
