Pregnant people in CT can now apply for monthly cash assistance

A new program set to launch in Connecticut next week will offer hundreds of families a temporary guaranteed monthly income in an effort to lift families out of poverty and support infants’ healthy development.

The program, offered through New York-based nonprofit The Bridge Project, will give 500 new and expectant mothers monthly cash transfers that they can use however they want. Participants will receive a $1,125 one-time prenatal stipend, $750 per month for the first 15 months, then $275 per month for the last 21 months of the program.

Mothers can be a part of the program for the first 1,000 days of their babies’ lives. The concept is similar to the idea of a universal basic income, which has garnered national attention over the past few years.

Universal basic income is an economic policy that would offer people a guaranteed monthly income, regardless of employment status. The program set to launch in Connecticut is targeted at pregnant people who have an annual household income of less than $44,000. It’s meant to be supplemental income.

Laura Clancy, executive director of The Bridge Project, said moms who participated in the program in the past in other states had been able to move into permanent housing, continue their education and improve their mental health, among other outcomes.

After six months in the program, there was a 242% increase in participants having more than $500 in savings. And 90% of participants reported improvements in their mental health after just one payment, according to information from The Bridge Project.

“No one is quitting their jobs over this, although one of the things we really do try and encourage moms to think about is, maybe they can turn down an overtime shift every week so they can put their kids to bed,” Clancy said. “Maybe they can focus on spending more time with their family and strengthening those family bonds, which we know are so important for babies’ development.”

In recent years, national and state politicians have explored the idea of alleviating poverty by giving people money through other solutions such as the child tax credit or the state’s baby bonds program.

A child tax credit is a program that allows families with kids to reduce their tax burden. Typically they receive a sum of money each month or in a lump sum. Advocates have called for a permanent state-level tax credit and the reinstatement of the national tax credit created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, Connecticut launched a statewide program to take out bonds on behalf of babies born to families with low incomes. The babies receive the money when they turn 18 to use for purposes such as purchasing a home, starting a business or continuing their education.

That program is part of what drew The Bridge Project to Connecticut, Clancy said. She said it laid the foundation for the work they want to continue in the state.

“All these factors came together,” Clancy said. “ … We saw a lot of moms and babies who were really excited about this opportunity to have the flexibility, to have cash for that middle of the night formula run when WIC has run out for the week, or to pay rent when things are getting tight.”

Pregnant people will be admitted to the program on a rolling basis until all the slots are filled. Applications will open online Wednesday .

The Bridge Project has launched similar programs in New York City, Rochester, Buffalo and Milwaukee.

Birmania Tavarez, a mother from the Bronx who participated in the program, said when she first heard about it, she thought it was too good to be true. She has two sons, ages 5 and 2, and joined the program in 2022.

“At the beginning, because it sounds too good to be true, I was a little skeptical, because I thought it was a scam,” Tavarez said.

But, she did research and learned that it was a real program. She has participated in programs and taken classes to learn more about business management since joining The Bridge Project’s program. She also went back to school to get her gemology degree.

One day, she hopes to be able to open her own jewelry-making business.

She said she’s also able to take time off of work to be with her kids without stressing as much about money.

“I didn’t feel that restriction any more,” she said.

Since joining the program, getting her degree and getting a promotion at work, she can also afford to enroll her kids in extra activities. Her older son has his first soccer game Saturday.

Tavarez also said the sense of community with other mothers was helpful for her.

“Mothers have other needs, like a community sense,” she said. “You know, they feel alone. They feel like they need support.”

Jim Horan, senior executive director at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Connecticut, said he thinks the upfront payment will help new moms buy the things they need like strollers or a crib. He said it could also reduce stress on families during a crucial developmental period for kids.

Child development research has shown that babies’ brains grow and develop rapidly in their first three years of life. This development can have lifelong impacts on their likelihood to stay healthy and get an education, among other outcomes.

Amy Casavina Hall, senior vice president of strategic partnerships, development and communications at the United Way of Connecticut, said research shows that in programs in which families receive cash stipends each month, they tend to use it on necessities like rent, groceries or utilities.

“We trust families will make the best decisions for themselves,” she said.

Casavina Hall also said the program could help families when an unexpected expense arises.

“There’s no program for a new set of tires that gets your child to day care and gets you to work, right?” she said.

Horan added that pairing programs such as baby bonds with The Bridge Project can also offer families hope.

“You can be thinking all throughout your child’s growing years that ‘My child can go to college, can own a small business,’” he said. “A lot of times people who are living in poverty don’t have hope that the next generation is going to be any different than their generation or the one before them.”