SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A groundbreaking initiative announced Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom will make California the first state to distribute free diapers to new parents directly at hospitals when they take their babies home.
The program will initially launch at approximately 65 to 75 medical facilities across the state, serving roughly one-fourth of California births and primarily benefiting hospitals that care for families with lower incomes, according to the governor’s office. Plans call for expanding the initiative to additional hospitals throughout the state, though officials have not specified how many more will participate.
According to Newsom, this latest effort continues California’s mission to reduce the financial burden on families living in one of America’s most costly states. The governor pointed to recent initiatives including universal free school meals for students and no-cost preschool programs.
“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 Democratic governor stated.
State lawmakers allocated $7.4 million in the previous year’s budget to launch this program, with an additional $12.5 million proposed in the current budget to fund operations through June 2027.
New parents will receive 400 diapers per infant when discharged from participating hospitals, including sizes appropriate for newborns and babies weighing up to 14 pounds. This supply should last just over a month, considering newborns typically need eight to 10 diaper changes daily. The state has partnered with Baby2Baby, an organization dedicated to providing essential children’s items, to produce the diapers for participating medical centers.
This announcement follows Tennessee and Delaware becoming the first states two years ago to offer free diapers through their Medicaid programs for low-income families. Tennessee’s program allows families to collect 100 diapers monthly at pharmacies for children under age two. Delaware’s initiative, which started as a pilot program before permanent adoption in 2024, provides up to 80 diapers and one package of baby wipes weekly during an infant’s first 12 weeks.
While California’s Medicaid system does not currently cover diapers for newborns, it does provide them for participants age five and older who have medical requirements for the products.
Families typically spend approximately $100 monthly per child on diapers, according to research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive policy organization. This financial pressure sometimes forces parents to leave soiled diapers on longer than recommended or attempt to reuse disposable products, potentially causing skin irritation and urinary tract infections, the organization reports.
California leaders are promoting this new program as a solution to reduce that economic stress on families.
“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.”
