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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 22, 2015 03:16 PM |
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| From: | Representative Rosita C. Youngblood |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Clean, Healthy and Dry Act -- grant program to expand access to clean diapers for children and incontinent adults |
| Access to a reliable supply of clean diapers is a necessity for the health and wellbeing of Pennsylvania's children and incontinent adults. That is why, in the near future, I will introduce legislation to further address the growing diaper supply gap that exists across our Commonwealth that would establish the Clean, Healthy and Dry Act -- a grant program to improve, enhance and expand access to clean diapers for infants, children and incontinent adults. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every baby in the United States can be clean, healthy and dry, there is a growing diaper gap in communities across the nation – with many families struggling to provide new and clean diapers. In fact, one in every three mothers finds it difficult to provide diapers for their children. And for seniors on fixed incomes, incontinence products could cost as much as $1,000 a year. With little or no access to clean and dry diapers, children and incontinent adults could spend a day or longer in one diaper, leading to significant potential health risks. And since a clean supply of diapers are often a requirement for participation in childcare services like daycare, this growing diaper gap for working families could severally impact their ability to hold a job. To compound the issue, most public resources such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC), do not allow families to purchase diapers with the money provided through these programs. That is why Diaper Banks, and many other community organizations, across the Commonwealth are doing their part to help with this epidemic by hosting diaper donation drives, which are critical in providing these essential materials to families in need, and raising awareness about the real implications of a widening diaper supply gap. But resources are limited for these organizations. To further aid in their efforts to keep our kids and incontinent adults clean, healthy and dry, my bill would provide grants to eligible organizations to help offset the costs associated with purchasing, warehousing, storing and distributing diapers, as well as with outreach programs, volunteer training and fundraising assistance. The bill would also establish the Clean, Healthy and Dry Fund within the State Treasury for all appropriations, contributions and alternative funding methods for the grant program. The Commonwealth has a compelling interest in protecting infants, children and incontinent adults from health problems and other issues associated with a lack of clean diapers. Through the Clean, Healthy and Dry Act, we would have the opportunity to help those organizations already helping people in need to expand, enhance and improve their efforts to reduce the diaper supply gap in Pennsylvania. I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this legislation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office at 717-772-9920. Thank you in advance for your consideration. |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB1405