Diaper Access

One out of every two families has difficulty affording a sufficient supply of diapers for their children. Diaper need affects a family’s ability to go to work and school and threatens the health of a family by increasing the likelihood of maternal depression, parental stress, and diaper rash in infants and children.

Diaper insecurity, the experience of cutting back on or forgoing other basic needs to afford diapers, is increasingly recognized as a social driver of health. These effects on maternal and infant health contribute to an increase in healthcare utilization and associated costs.

Reliable access to diapers helps prevent diaper-related skin conditions and avoidable hospital visits, enhance economic opportunities for caregivers, and connect families to wraparound services to improve overall health and well-being. 

Screening for Diaper Need

CHA partnered with The Diaper Bank of Connecticut (DBCT) to address diaper insecurity through a statewide program called Diaper Connections. Through the program, hospitals, healthcare providers, and community organizations have screened for diaper need and distributed millions of diapers to support thousands of children and their families.

Connecticut hospitals continue to advocate for expanded Medicaid coverage of diapers to children under 3 years old when medically necessary.