Governor Newsom announced on May 8 that a new program will be launched this summer in California to provide free diapers to all newborns in the state.
“California is actively taking on the cost of raising children,” Newsom said. “Every baby born in California should have a healthy start in life, which means ensuring that parents have the basic supplies they need from day one.”
In the first year of the program’s implementation, it is estimated that 65 to 75 hospitals statewide will be eligible, with babies born in these hospitals accounting for about a quarter of all newborns in California.
Families giving birth at participating hospitals will receive 400 diapers for babies weighing under 14 pounds for free upon discharge, which averages to about a month’s supply.
Last year, California allocated $7.4 million in the budget to promote this initiative and in the new fiscal year budget proposal ending in June 2027, an additional $12.5 million has been added to implement the program.
The Governor’s Office stated that the program, named “Golden State Start,” is managed by the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization “Baby2Baby,” which handles diaper procurement, storage, and hospital distribution.
Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof, Co-Presidents of Baby2Baby, mentioned that one out of every two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. They expressed pride in being able to participate in this initiative and provide support to mothers and babies.
The Governor’s Office mentioned that in the first year of the program, hospitals serving a large number of Medi-Cal patients will be given priority to ensure that low-income families benefit first. The state government also plans to gradually expand the program to more hospitals and birthing centers in the future.
Furthermore, the Governor’s Office stated that in order to alleviate the financial burden on families, the government is exploring ways to reduce the cost of diapers to challenge the “high prices of major brands.”