APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED!
Enrollment opens early 2024.

About P.A.I.D

The Pregnancy Assistance Income for Diabetics (P.A.I.D) program provides direct cash assistance to pregnant people with diabetes or at high risk for diabetes. P.A.I.D is a first-of-its-kind program that will measure specific health outcomes such as A1C and blood pressure vs. qualitative mental or physical health outcomes.

The P.A.I.D. program will give $1,000 per month of unconditional income for 18 months to 150 randomly selected pregnant Kaiser patients.

Applications are closed. Enrollment opens in early 2024.

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18 months of unconditional income

$1000 in monthly cash assistance

How It Works

To be eligible for the program, you must meet all the following requirements:

A Kaiser Permanente patient
In your 1st or 2nd trimester of pregnancy during time of enrollment
Reside in Los Angeles County
Have Diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, Gestational Diabetes (GDM), or be at high risk of GDM
Have a combined household income of less than 80% of the area median income in LA County

What are the goals of P.A.I.D?

The P.A.I.D program hopes to create a theory of change and proof of concept study that addresses the intersection of chronic illness and poverty. Other goals include:

- Reduce the acute economic burden of pregnant people with diabetes who are low income but fall just above the threshold for government programs.
- Improve maternal social, economic, and health inequities among a racially diverse population of lower-income, working persons giving birth.
- Improve inequities in health and developmental outcomes of babies born to lower-income, working persons who are giving birth with diabetes.

Why is this pilot directed at pregnant people with diabetes or at high-risk for GDM?

According to the LA County Department of Public Health about 46% of adults are estimated to have prediabetes or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in California. In Los Angeles County, 1 out of 10 adults have type 2 diabetes, and 50% of women with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes. Additionally, diabetes is expensive to maintain; the American Diabetes Association estimates that people with a diabetes diagnosis spend 2.3x more on healthcare than those without a diabetes diagnosis.

When NCJW|LA applied to be one of the seven sites selected to do a Guaranteed Income Pilot with the California Department of Social Services aimed at pregnant people, we knew there was an opportunity to show that Guaranteed Income Payments could significantly improve pregnancy health outcomes for those with diabetes or GDM. Poverty is highly stress-inducing and can have harmful effects on pregnancies; NCJW|LA is grateful for the opportunity to show how cash can reduce stress and improve the lives of pregnant people with diabetes or GDM and their families.

Sources:
Diabetes Facts and Risk Factors | LA County Department of Public Health - Diabetes Prevention
The Cost of Diabetes | ADA

In Partnership with

Frequently Asked Questions

What is guaranteed income?

What income do I need to have to qualify?

To qualify for the program, you must make less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) in Los Angeles County. The current AMI for a family of four in Los Angeles County is $98,200, which is then used to set the limit for income levels for various household sizes. The income levels are generally calculated as follows:

Acutely low income: 0-15% of AMI
Extremely low income: 15-30% of AMI
Very low income: 30% to 50% of AMI
Low income: 50% to 80% of AMI
Moderate income: 80% to 120% of AMI

The current income levels set for Los Angeles County in 2023 can be found here, and are copied below:

What qualifies as high-risk for gestational diabetes?

There are several risk factors tied to the development of Gestational Diabetes (GDM). These risk factors include:

Previous diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
History of GDM in prior pregnancy
Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 30
Previous macrosomic baby (weighed more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth)
First-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with diabetes
Ethnicity with a high prevalence of diabetes (Hispanic, African-American, American Indian, or Asian)

Do I live in LA County?

How will guaranteed income impact my benefits?

Pilot participants will be provided a benefits counseling session as part of the program enrollment process. The session will help participants understand the impact of the cash payments on their eligibility for other benefits they may already receive, and enable participants to make an informed decision about pilot participation. Waivers have been obtained through the California Department of Social Services and the following benefits will not be impacted: CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and CalWorks

Will payments end if I experience pregnancy loss?

How will the application process work?

Can I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?

What if I am not a Kaiser patient?

Do I have to pay the money back? Are there any restrictions or requirements for how I spend my cash assistance?

Have Questions?

Email us if you have questions about the P.A.I.D Program.

Learn More About Guaranteed Income

There are a growing number of guaranteed income pilots that target specific demographics, populations, and geographic locations in response to systemic and institutional barriers which make it difficult to achieve financial mobility. Below are a sampling of national and regional programs.

Help Us Increase Our Reach!

This program was made possible with the assistance of donors like you. Your generous contribution will help us to increase the program reach, allowing us to serve more communities suffering from financial instability within Los Angeles County.

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