AB 1238

Under current law, the Department of Corrections operates a mother-young child care program in which females in DOC custody who are pregnant or have a child that is less than one year old may be placed in less restrictive custodial placements and participate in services aimed at creating a stable relationship between the mother and her child and preparing the mother to be able to live in a safe, lawful, and stable manner in the community.

This bill allocates $1,000,000 in building trust funds to develop preliminary plans and specifications for a project to evaluate infrastructure needs and to expand existing facilities within the state women’s correctional system to satisfy requirements of the mother-young child care program, including by doing the following:

1. Establishing in one or more of the institutions for women operated by DOC a prison nursery program under which inmates eligible under the program and children born to them while in custody may reside together in the institution and bond, breast-feed if possible, and nurture each other.

2. Supporting the healthy development of infants born to inmates eligible under the program and providing comprehensive support for postpartum mothers.