SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California families welcoming newborns will soon receive hundreds of free diapers before leaving the hospital under a first-in-the-nation program announced Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
During the program's first year, it will be offered at about 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of births in the state and largely serve low-income patients, Newsom's office said. The initiative will expand to more hospitals statewide, though the governor's office did not say how many. The state has partnered with nonprofit Baby2Baby to manufacture the diapers under the label "Golden State Start."
Newsom said the plan builds on California's effort to make living in the notoriously expensive state a little easier for families. He highlighted policies in recent years to provide students with free meals at school and make preschool free for all.
"Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life — and that means making sure parents have the basics they need from day one," the Democrat said in a statement.
The state set aside $7.4 million in last year's budget to roll out the initiative, and this year's budget proposal includes an additional $12.5 million to implement the program for the upcoming fiscal year ending in June 2027.
It will allow each family to receive 400 diapers in sizes for newborns and babies up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms) when they are discharged from a hospital after birth. That's a little more than a month's worth, since newborns on average require eight to 10 diapers a day.
Baby2Baby provides families in need with essential items. The nonprofit built a manufacturing system that allows them to produce diapers for 80% less than the retail price, co-CEO Kelly Sawyer Patricof said.
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"California is once again setting the standard of what it means to show up for mothers and babies," added co-CEO Norah Weinstein.
The announcement comes two years after Tennessee and Delaware became the first U.S. states to offer free diapers to families enrolled in their Medicaid programs, which provide healthcare to low-income families. Tennessee families can go to pharmacies to pick up 100 diapers per month for children under two. The Delaware program, which began as a pilot before the state extended it in 2024, provides individuals with up to 80 diapers and up to one pack of baby wipes per week in the first 12 weeks of life.
California's Medicaid system doesn't cover diapers for newborns, but it does cover the items for enrollees ages 5 and older if they have a medical need for them.
Diapers are a large, ongoing expense for many families. They typically spend about $100 a month on the items per child, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank. The cost burden can lead some parents to leave their child's diapers on for too long or reuse disposable diapers, which can result in rashes and urinary tract infections, the center says.
California officials are touting the new effort as a way to ease that financial strain.
"The first days at home with a newborn should be focused on the love, connection, and joy of an expanded family, not stress about affording diapers," said Kim Johnson, the state's health secretary. "This program helps ensure families can begin that journey with greater stability and peace of mind."
If a mother or mother and dad can’t afford diapers, then they can’t afford a child. NO FREE DIAPERS . Perhaps parents should be approved via credit bureaus or their newborn is placed in a financially stable home. I suggest applying the same standards that the auto loan industry and home mortgage industry uses to qualify applicants who wish to be parents
It's worse than that. The money for the "free diapers" is being laundered through a non-profit with connections to Jennifer Newsom. The diapers are 4X the cost of what they would be at Costco. It's complete Democrat corruption and waste. But if anyone questions it they are mean, terrible people who want babies to go diaperless.
Many of these free diapers will be sold on flea markets or traded for drugs. By then, the Newsom machine will have enriched many benefactors who could not give a darn about babies but want to see their names on the front page while swelling their bank accounts. Another give-away at our expense that is pee-ed into the sand.
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(4) comments
If a mother or mother and dad can’t afford diapers, then they can’t afford a child. NO FREE DIAPERS . Perhaps parents should be approved via credit bureaus or their newborn is placed in a financially stable home. I suggest applying the same standards that the auto loan industry and home mortgage industry uses to qualify applicants who wish to be parents
It's worse than that. The money for the "free diapers" is being laundered through a non-profit with connections to Jennifer Newsom. The diapers are 4X the cost of what they would be at Costco. It's complete Democrat corruption and waste. But if anyone questions it they are mean, terrible people who want babies to go diaperless.
Mitch, thanks for exposing more democrat corruption and I guess I am terrible and I want babies to go diaperless.
Many of these free diapers will be sold on flea markets or traded for drugs. By then, the Newsom machine will have enriched many benefactors who could not give a darn about babies but want to see their names on the front page while swelling their bank accounts. Another give-away at our expense that is pee-ed into the sand.
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Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.