Central OC Times

Assemblymember Diane Dixon from Newport Beach has reintroduced a bill aimed at increasing support for infants parented by foster youth. The proposed legislation, known as AB 349, seeks to adjust financial assistance by the California Necessities Index (CNI).

“Last year, we introduced AB 1952 to increase the infant supplement formula, a vital monthly payment for parenting foster youth that has not been increased since 2016 and does not increase with inflation. Our foster children are an extremely vulnerable part of our population; some of whom are survivors of human trafficking resulting in pregnancies,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “We must provide them with more support than they are currently receiving.”

The bill is backed by Mary’s Path, a licensed short-term residential therapeutic program in Orange County. Mary’s Path offers care and support to teen mothers and their babies within the foster care system and is one of four residences in California serving this demographic.

The funding aims to assist organizations like Mary’s Path in meeting infant needs such as diapers and formula. This would enable pregnant or parenting foster youth to concentrate on building relationships with their children, pursuing education, and embarking on personal healing.

“Our job at Mary’s Path is to care for both the teen mothers that come through our doors and their babies. Our moms have dealt with significant trauma from sex trafficking, domestic violence and other forms of abuse. We give them support, mental health treatment and help them learn how to care for their babies,” said Jill Dominguez, President and Executive Director. “But the cost of caring for those babies just keeps going up. Diapers, formula and other baby supplies keep getting more expensive while the State’s support has fallen way behind. That needs to change so we can keep providing high quality care and keep these young families together.”

Data indicates that nearly 19% of parenting-foster-youth lose custody of their child to the same system they were once part of—the foster care system itself. Such outcomes could be prevented through adequate funding for essential programs like the infant supplement formula.