A program focused on families is providing millions of dollars to expectant Americans. Expectant parents in California may receive $920 per month for 18 months.
The program, supported in part by state funding, will test out “no strings attached” payments. This is just one of the many new payment programs that provide guaranteed income.
The funds, distributed by the McKinleyville Family Resource Center in Northern California, will support 150 pregnant individuals selected at random, as reported by Jefferson Public Radio.
The program will be reaching out to individuals residing in Humboldt County, close to the Oregon border.
Applications became available on December 11 and will continue to be accepted until May 30 or until all spots are taken. Slots are running out with only 42 left as of February 8.
What is needed
Not all individuals will meet the requirements for the payment. To be eligible, individuals must be located in Humboldt County and be under 28 weeks pregnant at the time of enrollment.
Additionally, individuals must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible. Money is intended to assist those in the greatest need. To be eligible, your income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
Program Offers $30,000 Over 18 Months
For an individual, that equates to approximately $30,000.
Following the 18-month program, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Urban Institute will analyze the results of the participants, as per the report from the local radio station.
“Economic security often correlates with enhanced mental well-being,” program director Robin Baker shared with the station. “It is a crucial element in decreasing cases of child abuse and neglect when families no longer have to deal with financial stress,” Robin stated.
The state is allocating $25 million towards comparable programming.
The community in Humboldt County is not the sole group experimenting with a guaranteed income. In the southern part of the state, pregnant women and former foster children are eligible for guaranteed income.
Programs in Riverside and San Bernardino counties will cost $750 monthly. In Houston, Texas, almost 2,000 individuals will be eligible for a comparable payment plan.
There, individuals with lower incomes have the opportunity to receive $500 monthly for a duration of 18 months. The new programs are being introduced in response to suggestions for a universal basic income, inspired by a significant payment initiative in Alaska.
A $4 million payment program in Maryland is providing DC-area residents with hundreds of dollars.
