BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
New babies go through eight to ten diapers a day, and diapers run about $100 a month. For families already stretched, that bill arrives before they’ve slept. Some parents leave diapers on too long or reuse disposables, which leads to rashes and infections. This particular problem often starts the day they leave the hospital or even earlier. Luckily, California is trying to get ahead of it before they leave the hospital.
400 diapers, no paperwork required
Under a new program from Governor Gavin Newsom, every family delivering at a participating hospital goes home with 400 diapers in newborn and infant sizes, covering babies up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms). About five weeks’ worth. No income check or enrollment form needed.
The program, Golden State Start, runs through a partnership with the non-profit Baby2Baby, which built its own manufacturing line to produce diapers at 80 percent below retail. “California is once again setting the standard of what it means to show up for mothers and babies,” said co-CEO Norah Weinstein.
Starting where the need is greatest
In year one, Golden State Start will run at 65 to 75 hospitals covering about a quarter of California births, with priority given to facilities that largely serve low-income patients. It will expand from there, though the state hasn’t set a specific timeline.
The state put $7.4 million toward it in last year’s budget. This year’s proposal adds $12.5 million to carry it through June 2027.
The first of its kind at discharge
Two other states have moved on diapers, but differently. Tennessee lets Medicaid-enrolled families pick up 100 diapers a month at pharmacies for children under two. Delaware has a pilot providing up to 80 diapers and one pack of wipes per week in the first twelve weeks, extended in 2024. Neither delivers at discharge to all families regardless of income.
California Medicaid covers diapers only for enrollees aged five and older with a documented medical need. Golden State Start is outside that system entirely.
“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 state health secretary Kim Johnson. “This program helps ensure families can begin that journey with greater stability and peace of mind.”
Newsom put it alongside earlier moves: free school meals, universal preschool. “Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” he said, “and that means making sure parents have the basics they need from day one.”
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