Pregnancy Assistance Income with Dignity (P.A.I.D.)
P.A.I.D. is a guaranteed income pilot run by NCJW|LA that provides unconditional cash to pregnant Los Angeles County residents to reduce financial stress that can harm birth outcomes. It is one of seven California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Guaranteed Income Pilot Program sites and is structured as a randomized controlled trial (RCT): a treatment group receives $1,000/month and a control group receives $20/month, both for 18 months, distributed via the AidKit platform. The program is funded through a CDSS state grant, with the Urban Institute and UC Berkeley leading the statewide evaluation. It is open to LA County residents regardless of citizenship status, including unhoused individuals who spend the majority of their time in the county.
Randomized Controlled Trial, Pregnancy, Maternal Health, California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, AidKit, Jewish women's organization
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Los Angeles Section, National Council of Jewish Women, Inc. (NCJW|LA)
- City
- Los Angeles
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 323-852-8500
- info@ncjwla.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 360
- Funding type
- Government, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 18,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct Deposit, Prepaid Debit Card
- Benefit details
This is a randomized controlled trial: participants are randomly assigned to a treatment group receiving $1,000/month or a control group receiving $20/month, both for 18 months and both distributed via the AidKit platform. Payments continue regardless of pregnancy outcome (pregnancy loss does not end participation). CDSS obtained waivers so payments do not affect CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or CalWORKs eligibility. All participants (treatment and control) are also invited to optional supportive services and an optional benefits-counseling session.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants must reside in Los Angeles County (or, if unhoused, spend the majority of their time there), be in their 1st or 2nd trimester of pregnancy at enrollment, be at least 18 years old, and have household income at or below HUD's low-income threshold (approximately 80% of Area Median Income). The program is open to all LA County residents regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Seed data cited an eligibility cutoff of "under 28 weeks pregnant," which is roughly consistent with NCJW|LA's stated 1st/2nd trimester enrollment window but could not be independently verified as an exact week-28 cutoff.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
- Sex
- Female
Family
- Family Status
- Expecting
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $80,720
- Income as % of Area Median Income
- 802,023,100,900 %
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Citizen, Permanent Resident, DACA, Refugee, Asylum Seeker, Undocumented
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Counties covered
- Los Angeles
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Complementary program enrollment required
- None strictly required, participants are invited to optional supportive services and an optional benefits-counseling session covering impacts on other public benefits.
- Research / participation requirements
P.A.I.D. is one of seven sites in the CDSS California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, evaluated statewide by the Urban Institute in partnership with UC Berkeley using an RCT/quasi-experimental design and participant surveys/focus groups. Evaluation findings are expected by summer 2028. Published interim outputs include Urban Institute's 'Baseline Findings from the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Evaluation' and 'Early Participant Experiences from the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program.'
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were completed on the AidKit online platform, with NCJW|LA Community Support Specialists available to assist applicants. There was no fee to apply. As of research date (July 2026), applications are closed, per NCJW|LA's program page.
- Selection process
Eligible applicants were randomly selected/enrolled, then randomly assigned within the eligible pool to either the treatment group ($1,000/month) or the control group ($20/month), as part of the statewide CDSS Guaranteed Income Pilot Program's randomized controlled trial design.
