Program to pay pregnant Philadelphians monthly as a way to combat infant mortality

Philly Joy Bank would pay recipients $1,000 a month from pregnancy through 1 year postpartum
Dr. Stacey Kallem is the director of the division of maternal child and family health at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
Dr. Stacey Kallem, director of maternal, child and family health with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said the goal of the Philly Joy Bank is to reduce racial disparities in birth outcomes. Photo credit John McDevitt/KYW Newsradio

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia plans to launch a new pilot program that would provide a monthly guaranteed income for pregnant women in Philadelphia.

Through the program, called the Philly Joy Bank, 250 pregnant women will receive $1,000 a month throughout their pregnancy and for one year postpartum.

Dr. Stacey Kallem, director of maternal, child and family health with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, said the goal of the program is to reduce racial disparities in birth outcomes.

“Out of the top 10 most populous cities in the U.S., Philadelphia has the highest infant mortality rate, if you average out the past few years,” she said. “We have a profound racial health disparity in infant mortality, where the infant mortality rate for Black infants is over three times higher than that of white infants in Philadelphia.”

The Philly Joy Bank is a pilot program of the Philadelphia Community Action Network, which is focused on reducing racial disparities in infant mortality.

The William Penn Foundation and Spring Point Partners put more than $3 million toward the program. The goal is to raise $6 million.

Kallem said Philadelphia is one of the first in the country to establish a program like this.

Details on enrollment will be unveiled closer to the expected launch date, which is set for early 2024.

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