(WNY News Now) Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul revealed a wide range of programs aimed at making New York the most cost-effective and ideal place to start and raise a family. The governor highlighted a number of new initiatives in her 2025 State of the State Address that are intended to increase assistance for pregnant moms, new babies, and families with small children.
As part of her 2025 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday unveiled new plans to make New York the greatest and most economical place to start a family. These efforts include increasing coverage of infertility for individuals seeking to become parents, offering substantial financial assistance to parents both during pregnancy and during childbirth, expanding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), making New York a national leader in WIC enrollment, and developing a webpage specifically for parent resources to increase access to vital information.
“As the first mother governor of New York, I have personal experience with the challenges of raising a family,” Governor Hochul remarked.We are putting the health of mothers and babies first because we believe that every family should have a stress-free beginning. In order to make New York the greatest place on earth to raise a family, we have a moral duty to do everything in our power to help children, parents, and families.
Providing a Solid Foundation for Infants and Parents
For 100,000 babies, free diapers and other supplies
In order to provide maternal health and newborn supply boxes to all expectant mothers enrolled in Medicaid as well as those contacted through community-based organizations and hospitals serving lower-income areas, Governor Hochul will collaborate with Baby2Baby, a nationwide nonprofit that supplies necessities to one million children living in poverty each year. Diapers, self-care items, educational materials, and resources will all be included in the boxes. When fully implemented, this concept is expected to reach about 100,000 baby households.
Governor Hochul will also give millions of diapers to low-income families, with the goal of increasing that amount year. By integrating mental health services into OBGYN practices in high-needs regions throughout New York State, Governor Hochul will also increase access to maternal behavioral health treatments and build on prior efforts.
“We are extremely honored to collaborate with New York State to deliver millions of diapers and essential supplies to mothers and infants in need,” stated Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein, co-CEOs of Baby2Baby. We are appreciative of Governor Hochul’s shared dedication to maternal health, which has enabled us to expand our support and provide the most vulnerable families with the essential resources they deserve and require. We have been helping New York families for over ten years.
Create the Beginning Year Birth Allowance (BABY) Benefit
Governor Hochul will advance another nationally-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health by providing low-income parents with a birth allowance, the New York State BABY (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year) Benefit, during pregnancy and at birth, building on his history of support for expectant mothers, new parents, and infants. Governor Hochul will increase family income for thousands of New York families by giving public assistance recipients a $100 monthly benefit during pregnancy and a $1,200 reward upon delivery, thereby improving the financial security of some of the state’s most under-resourced households.
In order to lower childhood poverty, improve the foundation for both parents and children, and make New York more affordable for working families, it is imperative that pregnant women and newborns receive more support. The simultaneous birth of a child frequently results in a brief decrease in income as parents take time off to care for their newborn, in addition to raising household expenses.
Increasing Access to Treatments for Infertility
Infertility problems affect more than 10% of American women and men, and although there are novel methods for preserving fertility, access to them is sometimes restricted and costly. Medicaid participants in New York receiving treatment for cancer or other illnesses are not covered for fertility preservation services, thus they must pay out of pocket or forego care, in contrast to those with private insurance. In order to assist underinsured people in affording reproductive treatments, New York has sponsored an Infertility Reimbursement Program since 2002. However, many patients who could benefit from the program are excluded due to its strict eligibility requirements.
In order to ensure that more New Yorkers can pursue their aspirations of starting a family, regardless of their financial situation or medical background, Governor Hochul will introduce new legislation to expand eligibility for the State’s Infertility Reimbursement Program and to cover fertility preservation services for Medicaid members undergoing medical treatments that may result in infertility.
Establish a project for parent partnerships.
With a new baby, far too many families leave the hospital unaware of the informational support and services at their disposal. It takes a village to raise a child, and children will do better if parents are better informed about the various forms of state assistance that are available to them, such as home visiting programs and child care subsidies. In the summer of 2025, Governor Hochul plans to introduce an outdoor literacy program in state parks, partner with OBGYN and pediatrician offices throughout the state to inform families about state resources, and create a webpage for a parent resource center that will offer information on child development and school readiness.
Expanding the Availability of Inexpensive Child Care
Giving Child Care Providers Capital Grants
Governor Hochul will give child care providers $100 million in capital grants to repair and construct new child care facilities, particularly in child care deserts, in order to help them open more seats and serve more children. Additionally, family child care providers will get $10 million to update and restore their in-home childcare facilities.
Starting a Pool of Child Care Substitutes
Governor Hochul suggested the establishment of a child care substitute pool, which would comprise screened and reliable professionals who can fill in and guarantee families’ continuity of care in the event that child care workers are unable to report to work. This proposal builds on the Governor’s efforts to assist New York families throughout the state.
Establishing the Coalition for Child Care in New York
In order to find a steady source of income and funding for universal child care, the governor has also previously stated her intention to form the New York Coalition for Child Care, a significant endeavor that will involve New York’s business leaders, labor unions, tax and revenue experts, and child care providers.
The goal of the governor is to make child care available to everyone in New York. Many families, especially those whose salaries surpass qualifying for CCAP, struggle with the cost of care, even though Governor Hochul has significantly enhanced eligibility for child care aid and enrollment in New York’s Child Care aid Program (CCAP) has skyrocketed in the past year. Therefore, the Coalition will develop additional solutions to lower out-of-pocket child care costs for middle- and higher-income New Yorkers while recommending funding increases to the current child care subsidy system. The Coalition will endeavor to develop financial solutions to meet the Child Care Availability Task Force’s recommendation earlier this month that the State take action to help families over the federal income cap of 85 percent of State Median Income.
Nutrition and Food for Needy New Yorkers
Paying for All School Lunches for More Than 2.7 Million Students
Additionally, the governor earlier announced a historic commitment to provide free breakfast and lunch for all 2.7 million kids in New York. This historic program will alleviate food insecurity among New York children, save parents money, and provide pupils more opportunity to succeed—all while building on the Governor’s affordability plan.
Increase Mothers’ and Children’s Access to Vital Nutrition Programs
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has played a crucial role in advancing and protecting women’s and children’s health for almost 50 years. Over 445,000 people are currently enrolled in the program, which has expanded by almost 25% since 2020. Governor Hochul will increase the program’s reach to 475,000 people in order to address the expanding demands, guaranteeing that they receive wholesome meals and necessary services. Tens of thousands more New Yorkers will benefit from these expenditures, which will also significantly advance the State’s objective of leading the country in WIC enrollment.
“Having a baby is a joyful experience, but it also comes with new expenses for families, which can be particularly difficult for families already experiencing economic hardship,” said Barbara C. Guinn, commissioner of the increased York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. These initiatives announced by Governor Hochul today can greatly expand the resources available to families in need so they are better positioned to provide for their children economically and emotionally and establish a foundation that will improve maternal well-being and child development. We applaud the governor for making investments in families and children that will benefit these kids’ economic, health, and educational prospects.
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said,Each year, a lack of child care nationwide is responsible for $122 billion in lost earnings, productivity and revenue. Positive outcomes for our parents and providers will rise if we invest in child care infrastructure, support the child care workforce, and actively collaborate with the public and private sectors. To have a government that advances the child care agenda of strengthening and enhancing high-quality child care services with the ultimate goal of universal child care is exciting. Governor Hochul’s commitment to providing safe and nurturing environments and opportunities that foster positive youth development for children while parents are at work is demonstrated by her most recent proposals to advance innovative actions to address the needs of children and families throughout New York State.