(SACRAMENTO, CA) – The California Legislature passed a bill authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) to help pregnant foster youth access prenatal services.
Sponsored by the John Burton Foundation, the Children’s Law Center of California and First Place for Youth, Assembly Bill (AB) 1838 would allow caregivers of expectant foster youth to receive an existing infant income supplement three months prior to the birth of the child in order to encourage prenatal care access and preparation for parenthood. It passed the Assembly 69-0 vote today following a 36-0 Senate vote last week. Governor Jerry Brown has until September 30, 2016 to sign or veto the bill.
“Pregnant foster youth face many challenges. They frequently don't have family to help them meet the demands and costs of parenthood,” said Ting. “Expenses add up quickly as new parents must buy diapers, bottles, baby clothes, and, in some cases, pay for increased rent. By helping expectant foster youth, we can encourage more to pursue prenatal care, and we will help ensure a better future for these families in need.”
Out of approximately 60,000 foster youth, between 850 and 900 are parents. Young women in foster care are two and a half times more likely to become pregnant by age 19, and children of parents in foster care are three times more likely than their peers to spend time in foster care. The 2014 California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study found that 20% of pregnant foster care mothers were not able to receive any prenatal care, increasing the likelihood that their children are born with health problems or be stillborn.
Earlier this year, Ting secured $4 million in the FY 2016-2017 state budget to increase the infant supplement from $411 to $900 per month. However, the supplement is not available until after the child is born. Getting resources to foster youth to assist with their pregnancy will help ensure healthy infants at childbirth.
“Teen parents in foster care routinely walk out of the hospital without even the basics to care for their infant, such as a car seat, crib, stroller or diapers. Equally troubling, one in five received late or no prenatal care,” said John Burton, Founder and Board Chair of the John Burton Foundation. “With AB 1838, California is taking a new, more responsible approach by encouraging earlier access to prenatal care and critically needed financial support. We thank Assemblymember Ting for his leadership on AB 1838, and urge Governor Brown to sign it.”
“Limited resources and support make it difficult to obtain even the basics needed to start a healthy family,” said Sue Abrams, Policy Director of the Children’s Law Center of California. “By providing the infant supplement at the 7th month, AB 1838 would enable timely access to critical essentials, such as prenatal care, a crib, a car seat, diapers and clothes. This important bill would serve to strengthen the state’s commitment to support and preserve young families in foster care.”