RICHMOND, Va. - Pregnant, low-income legal immigrants and children under the age of 19 are now eligible for health care through Medicaid and FAMIS (Family Access to Medical Insurance Security), under a new Virginia law that went into effect this week.

Virginia Poverty Law Center staff attorney Jill Hanken says approximately 1,000 pregnant women, and hundreds of children, will benefit from the new coverage.

"The data shows that pregnant women who get prenatal care are more likely to have full-term births, which means the babies are probably going to be healthier. So, the data we gathered convinced the General Assembly that this was a cost-effective measure."

Hanken says women who don't receive prenatal care are more likely to give birth prematurely. She adds that, according to estimates, adopting the federal option to provide Medicaid and FAMIS to qualified low-income immigrants will actually save the state money in the long run.

"Virginia is covering the babies of these moms anyway, so the idea was to make sure that we got the healthiest babies we possibly could, the healthiest pregnancies that we could. And that requires prenatal care."

Hanken says Medicaid already covered, and still does cover, emergency services for pregnant women who are undocumented, such as labor and delivery services.

She says in order to qualify for the new prenatal care coverage, women must be residents of Virginia, and have legally resided in the U.S. for less than five years. Children must be under 19. Certain income requirements also apply. There's more information at www.famis.org.





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Winter is coming, and the annual statewide campaign to inform Massachusetts residents about available heating assistance is underway.

Advocates for the program said the eligibility requirements are broad to ensure no family has to make the decision between keeping their house warm or covering other basic needs.

Jeanne Costa, a resident of New Bedford, said heating assistance allowed her elderly mother to remain in her home as she aged.

"They should know that there isn't any shame attached to attaining a helping hand up," Costa urged. "Which shouldn't be confused with a helping hand out."

Renters and homeowners making less than 60% of the state median income to address home energy costs are eligible, which includes a family of four making just over $87,000. Applications are currently being accepted online.

While some energy prices are dropping, public safety officials worry families unable to afford their heating bill will use more dangerous methods to stay warm.

Jon Davine, state fire marshal, said the heating aid program helps families avoid those decisions, and keep both them and his firefighters safe.

"It doesn't just help folks save money, it actually helps save lives," Davine contended.

Davine noted home heating equipment is the main source of carbon monoxide and the second leading cause of residential fires in Massachusetts.

Once households apply for heating assistance, they will automatically be enrolled in other energy-efficiency cost-saving programs.

Joe Diamond, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than twenty community action agencies throughout the Commonwealth, credits lawmakers for ensuring heating and energy help is available for the most vulnerable families.

"It's a powerful program," Diamond outlined. "It's an economic support program. It's a health and safety program. It's a housing preservation program."

Diamond pointed out studies show expanding heating assistance to more households with young children benefits children's health and growth.

Legislation introduced in Massachusetts aims to reduce the racial wealth gap by creating a statewide "Baby Bonds" program.

It is a publicly-funded, pooled trust fund for newborn children in low-income households without inherited wealth or opportunities to build it.

Deb Goldberg, state treasurer, said the child can access the funds once they turn 18 to help them go to college, start a business or even buy a home.

"They are a way to level the playing field and give every child a chance to achieve their full potential," Goldberg explained.

A 2015 Federal Reserve study found in the greater Boston area alone, the median net worth for white households was nearly $250,000, and for Black households, it was just $8.

Advocates for low-income families say "baby bonds" are part of a holistic approach needed to help eliminate the racial wealth divide.

Joe Diamond, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than 20 community action agencies in the Commonwealth, said expanded tax credits, a higher minimum wage, and financial literacy courses in schools can all help address the structural challenges of poverty.

"What the 'baby bonds' program does is, it sort of expands the effect of those public policies and helps eligible low-income children and their families really begin to plan for a hopeful future," Diamond emphasized.

Studies show improving families' economic stability is also good for the economy.

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Association finds the gross state product would increase by roughly $25 billion over five years if the state eliminated the racial gaps in wages, housing and investments. Similar "baby bond" programs are already in place in Connecticut, California and Washington, D.C.

Massachusetts groups will be part of a new federal pilot program to help low-income families ensure they have the diapers they need to keep both babies and parents healthy.

Studies show a lack of diapers for their babies as the top predictor of postpartum depression in new mothers, while 60% of American families report missing work or school when they cannot bring diapers to child care.

Liz Berube, executive director of the group Citizens for Citizens, one of several Massachusetts agencies selected for the program, said the need for diaper assistance has been growing for years.

"Hopefully this will relieve some of the burden for them and take some of the stress off the family, but folks are ecstatic," Berube observed. "They actually can't believe it and think it's a dream come true."

Berube pointed out her agency alone will supply 100 children with 100 diapers each month over the next two years, but as any parent knows, it is just a fraction of what is required.

The Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than 20 community action agencies in the state, was awarded more than $1 million in new federal aid to distribute diapers via several hubs across the state and Western Connecticut.

Colleen Cullen, director of grants management and compliance for the association, said until now, there has been no federal program to help families with such a basic need.

"This is getting families through that last two weeks of the month that people really struggle to afford," Cullen explained. "By providing support with diapers, we'll be allowing them to focus on other expenses, such as housing and food."

More than one-third of Massachusetts families say they cannot afford enough diapers for their children.

The association will work with Children's Health Watch in Boston to gather data on the diaper program's effectiveness at improving families' financial security and well-being.

Janet Stolfi Alfano, executive director of The Diaper Bank of Connecticut, said even having the proper medications to prevent diaper rash reduces stress on both child and parent.

"So much of the brain growth happens in those first three years, almost 80%," Stolfi Alfano noted. "We know creating an environment where basic needs are met will have lifelong benefits on that child."

Stolfi Alfano emphasized the goal is to make the funding for diaper distribution permanent. She added agencies are working to have diaper supplies for infants and toddlers covered through Medicaid, designating diapers as essential as food and nutrition.