Hospitals, Community Partners Advocate for Support to Address Diaper Insecurity

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) provided testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly’s Human Services Committee in support of HB 5486, An Act Concerning a Diaper Partnership Grant Program, legislation aimed at helping families with young children access an essential but often unaffordable necessity: diapers.

Diaper insecurity remains a significant challenge for many families.  Research shows that one in two families struggles to afford a sufficient supply of diapers, a need that can negatively affect both health and economic stability.  Lack of diapers has been linked to increased parental stress, maternal depression, and medical conditions such as diaper rash and urinary tract infections in infants and young children.  It can also limit a caregiver’s ability to attend work or school because most childcare providers require families to supply diapers.

HB 5486 would require the Department of Social Services (DSS) to (1) establish a grant program funding the provision of diapers at no cost by a diaper partnership to eligible children, (2) prescribe reporting requirements for any diaper partnership that receives funds under the grant program.  HB 5486 also appropriates $1 million to support this effort.

Hospitals across Connecticut have already been working to address diaper insecurity through partnerships with community organizations. Through initiatives like the Diaper Connections program — developed in partnership with CHA and The Diaper Bank of Connecticut — healthcare providers have screened families for diaper need in healthcare settings and connected them with resources, distributing millions of diapers to thousands of children and their families statewide.

CHA’s Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement Selina Osei testified in support of the bill and emphasized that diapers are a basic health-related need and an important preventive intervention that supports maternal and child health.  By helping families access an adequate supply of diapers, the state can improve health outcomes, strengthen economic stability for caregivers, and reduce avoidable healthcare utilization.

CHA urged lawmakers to support HB 5486 as an important step toward addressing diaper insecurity, supporting programs like Diaper Connections, and improving the health and well-being of Connecticut families.

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