California Diaper Program Costs 18.5 Cents Per Unit in First Year

California's Golden State Start program will provide 400 diapers to qualifying newborns at participating hospitals. 5-cent cost per diaper. Viral social media posts stated the cost reached 50 cents per diaper. That figure combined the proposed two-year budget of roughly $20 million with only the first-year diaper quantity.

5 cents per diaper. State budget documents list additional costs of 3 cents per diaper for agency operations and planning. The state has not released the contract or competitive bid records. Officials said they need until the first week of June to determine whether the documents are subject to the Public Records Act.

Baby2Baby co-CEOs each received compensation of roughly $77,566 in the most recent tax filing. The nonprofit reported more than $77 million in total revenue for 2024, with the state contract representing a small share. The program will distribute diapers directly through hospitals rather than as cash assistance.

Officials have not stated how they will track whether diapers are used before infants outgrow the size.