How to get free child care in california

Children's Home Society of California

Children's Home Society of California (CHS) has three Child Care Payment Programs that provide subsidized child care services to eligible families: Alternative Payment, CalWORKs, and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs. Through these programs, in Fiscal Year 2018, CHS provided services to over 9,700 children and over 5,500 families. In all, more than 2,099,000 days of care were provided to children across California.

Alternative Payment Program

This program pays for all or part of child care expenses if parents work, seek work, attend school, seek permanent housing, experience homelessness, are incapacitated, are deemed at risk by a legally qualified professional, and/or are receiving child protective services. Through this program, participating families select caregivers from a variety of licensed and license-exempt child care providers throughout the community.

CalWORKs

As families are transitioning off cash aid/welfare assistance, it is essential that parents have access to subsidized child care to gain financial independence. This program pays for all or part of child care expenses while parents participate in CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work plans, are employed, or attend school. Families are referred to CHS through local offices of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), or families self-refer by completing a CHS Eligibility List Questionnaire.

Family Child Care Home Education Network

The Family Child Care Home Education Network (FCCHEN) program is a partnership between the parent, family child care home provider, and Children’s Home Society of California (CHS). The FCCHEN program offers affordable child care to eligible parents, supports the quality of child care, and establishes relationships between children, parents, family child care home providers, and CHS program specialists. Family child care home providers enrolled in the FCCHEN program receive ongoing professional development training, guidance, and technical support from CHS program specialists to assure high-quality child development services. For more information regarding the FCCHEN program, click here.

In all programs, CHS provides parents with child care referrals and technical assistance.

Learn more about eligibility for the Child Care Payment Program.

CARECONNECT

Children’s Home Society of California is very pleased to offer CareConnect for child care providers who are participating in the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP). CareConnect is an Internet site and mobile app that allows providers to view authorized care for their enrolled children; access, complete, and submit digital CHS Attendance Sheets to CHS electronically; download and print CHS Attendance Sheets for their enrolled children; check the status of attendance records submitted for payment; and view payment details.

To request an account for CareConnect or for assistance with accessing your account, please contact your local CHS office.

If you already have an account for CareConnect, click here to log in.

Subsidized child care: Family fee waiver to end

In summary

For the last two years, some families who receive subsidized child care got a waiver from the fees they pay to participate. But the waiver will end next year after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have extended it, citing an expected decrease in state revenue.

Lea este artículo en español.

During the pandemic, California’s low-income families that are required to pay a fee to receive subsidized child care got a waiver from paying. That waiver is set to expire next year, worrying parents who have struggled to afford it in the past. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last month that would have made the waiver permanent. Parents say the waiver, which will end in June 2023, allowed them to pay other expenses or get caught up on delinquent bills. Now they will have to stop paying down debt, saving for emergencies and enrolling their children in extra activities like dance lessons to pay the fees instead.

In South Los Angeles, Marisol Rosales has already started to save money for the coming bill. Before their fees were waived last year, the family paid $400 a month for child care for their four children. After paying for rent, necessities and child care there was no money left, she said.

“They are expecting people that make a little bit of money to pay more money on top of expenses and cost of living and everything else,” Rosales said. “The whole point of why we have the subsidy is because our income is within the limits. So it doesn’t make sense to ask someone to pay another bill that could go toward something else.”

California helps low-income families afford child care through several different programs. For most families the programs are free, but others must pay a share of their subsidized child care costs — what the state refers to as a “family fee.” Families pay the fee directly to their child care provider or to the contractor that manages their subsidized child care.

Currently, to qualify for state-subsidized child care a family must earn 85% or less of the state median household income. Those who earn less than 40% of that amount pay nothing for child care. Families earning between 40% and 85% of the state median income pay child care fees on a sliding scale that could be as much as 10% of their household income.

For example, a family earning $50,000 a year would pay $175 a month in family fees. 

The pandemic put a spotlight on the child care challenges facing families with the lowest incomes, who got hit hardest by COVID-19. Many worked service jobs that were frozen or eliminated, or worked essential jobs they were required to do in person. Their circumstances drove state officials to waive the fees.   

“The whole point of why we have the subsidy is because our income is within the limits. So it doesn’t make sense to ask someone to pay another bill that could go toward something else.”

Marisol Rosales, south los angeles resident

The Department of Social Services, which oversees the state’s subsidized child care program, declined a request for an interview and only responded to questions via email. Spokesperson Scott Murray wrote that more than 26,000 families in various child care assistance programs “may have benefited from family fee waivers in the 2021-22 fiscal year.” He said the agency estimates about $88 million in fees will be waived in this fiscal year, which runs through June 2023. 

The family fees were first established in 1998, Murray wrote, and are based on a federal requirement for programs funded by the Child Care and Development Fund, a federal grant program that funds child care nationwide. The law allows states to set their own fees and determine the sliding scale for families but it also outlines how fees “must be affordable and not be a barrier to families receiving assistance.”

A legislative analysis of the bill that would have permanently waived the fees found that eliminating the fees for some families and decreasing the fees for others would cost $136 million a year. A 2021 study by the California Budget and Policy Center found that the state collects about $68 million annually in child care fees from families with low and moderate incomes.

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In July of 2020 the state started waiving the fees for some families and eventually agreed to offer waivers to all families for the rest of that fiscal year as part of its agreement with the Child Care Providers United union. In 2021, the state and the union again agreed that waivers would continue through June of 2022. This summer the state budgeted $136 million to extend the waivers for all families one more year, through June 2023.

The benefits of the waiver have been felt by families across the state, said Mary Ignatius, a statewide organizer at Parent Voices, a grassroots organization focused on child care accessibility and affordability.

“With the rising costs of just about everything and inflation, and the fact that the child tax credit expired at the federal level, these dollars came at a time of critical importance,” Ignatius said. “Families have been reducing debt, eliminating predatory credit cards, raising credit scores, going back to school full time…paying down utility bills that were in delinquency, just paying rent and putting their kids in extracurricular activities.”

The bill, by San Bernardino Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes, would have ended fees for all families that earn below 75% of the state median income and created a sliding scale for those who earn between 75% and 85%. The fees would amount to no more than 1% of a family’s income.

Learn more about legislators mentioned in this story

How she voted 2019-2020

Liberal Conservative

District 47 Demographics

Race/Ethnicity

Latino 71%

White 13%

Asian 5%

Black 9%

Multi-race 2%

Voter Registration

Dem 50%

GOP 19%

No party 25%

Other 7%

Campaign Contributions

Asm. Eloise Gómez Reyes has taken at least $1.1 million from the Labor sector since she was elected to the legislature. That represents 26% of her total campaign contributions.

Newsom said the bill’s cost was prohibitive, writing in his veto message for this bill and several others that state revenue is expected to decrease.  

Advocates were critical, saying Newsom does not understand the struggle of families that need child care to work.  

Newsom started his tenure as governor with promises to help families with child care costs and access. Since then, his administration has budgeted for more subsidized child care slots and has led an expansion of transitional kindergarten. Despite this, advocates say the state is still not doing enough for child care providers and struggling families with young children.

“There has been some progress made on child care, but the significant reform and expansion that the governor actually promised and signaled in his first budget address hasn’t been there,” said Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center.

He said the biggest issues that have gone unattended are the lack of child care workers and the low pay rate for those workers. Without these workers parents struggle to find care, even if they are approved for a subsidy. 

“If you are an individual with lower income and you are trying to access subsidized child care, the fees are a barrier,” Hoene said. “And if you can afford the fees, then the next barrier is finding a provider. ”

The bill Newsom vetoed was popular in the Legislature, where it passed with no dissenting votes, and had strong support from parent and child care advocates. No opposition was filed against the bill, according to the Assembly analysis. That’s why Reyes and advocates plan to use the next eight months to try again through the budget process or another bill.

For Rosales, the child care fee waiver has given her and her husband a chance to catch up financially. With that $400 a month savings, she got caught up on utility bills and paid off a student loan. Most exciting for her: paying for football for her sons and folklorico dance lessons for her daughters and herself.

“If you are an individual with lower income trying to access subsidized child care, the fees are a barrier. And if you can afford the fees, then the next barrier is finding a provider.”

Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center

Learning the traditional Mexican dance was a childhood dream her family could never afford. But this month Rosales dropped the class for herself to start saving money for child care.

“I’m already stressing out about the $400 payment that is coming back next year and already trying to cut back on expenses,” she said. “It’s very upsetting. After football season I’m not going to enroll my boys in anything else.”

Ignatius, of Parent Voices, said eliminating the fees is critical for the survival of families already living paycheck to paycheck.

“Real cost pressures are what families are facing every single day,” she said. “Scraping together money for these fees instead of spending it on food, on housing, on activities for their children, for bills, for paying down debt. That’s financial pressure. What the state is experiencing pales in comparison.”

Richmond mom Micaela Mota has used her $277 in monthly fee savings to pay student loans and PG&E bills and to enroll her son in baseball and swim lessons.  

“Before that it was, ‘Do I pay PG&E or do I pay for child care?’ and if I don’t pay for child care, how am I able to work?” she said. “It’s this or that in order to move forward to succeed in life.” 

A school psychologist, she said the fee waiver helped her finish her intern year and her graduate degree. She was also able to stop driving for Uber on Friday and Saturday nights and spent that time with her son instead.

“The governor could have been more graceful in what he could provide for us,” Mota said.

more on children and youth

A state program that provides children’s hearing aids may be expanded to include more families

A beleaguered state program that provides hearing aids to children may soon include families with partial insurance coverage and youth up to 21 years old after the Legislature included the expansion in the budget bills. About 2,000 more children would be helped.

by Elizabeth AguileraSeptember 6, 2022September 6, 2022

California counties siphon Social Security benefits from some foster kids

California counties regularly take the Social Security benefits of foster youth who are disabled or whose parents have died. Advocates say it amounts to children paying for their own foster care.

by Jeanne KuangJuly 22, 2022July 27, 2022

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How much does it cost to give birth in California

At the end of 2019, I gave birth to my son by emergency caesarean section at a San Diego hospital in California at 35 weeks pregnant.

Natalya Kiruta

gave birth in California

Author profile

I was scheduled for the due date of February 1, 2020. I flew to California in November 2019, and in December my husband joined me. We expected to celebrate the New Year here, and return back no earlier than the end of March. But in the end, due to premature birth, we were in Moscow at the end of February. And in this we were rather lucky, because already in March, problems with air traffic began all over the world due to the coronavirus. nine0003

Initially, I wanted to give birth naturally. In total, my husband and I planned to spend no more than $12,000⁣ (R886,950) on medical expenses. But in the end, the caesarean section increased medical expenses to almost $14,500⁣ (R1,071,731). On the other hand, early delivery reduced our housing and living expenses because we returned home earlier.

In this article I will tell you how much childbirth in the USA will cost if you need emergency medical care, as well as how much tickets, housing, life and things cost for a child in California. nine0003

Why California

I always wanted to give birth in the States. The main reason is, of course, citizenship for the child: all children born in the United States receive it. In addition, I like the country itself and its climate: before giving birth, I was in America four times. My birth took place in the winter, and at this time in California it is much more pleasant than in Moscow.

I wanted to give birth in San Diego. My friends live there, so it was not a question for me which city and state to go to. Most Russians who go to the USA specifically for childbirth give birth in Florida. There are many Russian-speaking doctors and a well-developed infrastructure for those who come to give birth. nine0003

/american-girl/

How to go to give birth in the USA

In Miami, most likely, childbirth will cost less than in California, because life in California is generally more expensive due to very high taxes.

Birthing Agencies

There are special agencies that will help arrange births in the United States. I did not use their services and did everything myself. It will be more convenient with an agency if you don’t want to search for and negotiate anything yourself, and also if you don’t speak English well. nine0003

Agencies will advise on all issues, find a doctor, hospital and housing, help with documents. Employees can even go to clinic appointments with you.

Tickets

I started preparing for childbirth by buying air tickets. I had to fly to Los Angeles. Only Aeroflot had a direct flight from Moscow. Since my pregnancy was already long and I wanted comfort, I decided to fly in business - and upgraded for miles. nine0003

Upgrade. Aeroflot has five different economy fares: Promo, Light, Budget, Optimum and Maximum. You can upgrade for miles only the most expensive one — “Maximum”. The Economy-maximum ticket cost me 52,692 R both ways, the upgrade was 35,000 miles one way.

At first I only upgraded one way because I wasn't sure about my return flight date. On the way back, I didn’t manage to upgrade my class in advance, and I did it already when checking in for the flight. Then, before boarding the plane, it will not be known whether you are flying in business or in economy. I was lucky: there were empty places in the business, and the child and I were transplanted. nine0003

If you are traveling with an infant, you can pre-order a bassinet, which is attached to the aircraft body opposite the seat. In this case, the economy will have a place with increased legroom. They brought me a cradle, but I never used it: my son did not want to lie in it.

/aerobaby/

How to fly with a baby

I flew to the USA at the 29th week of pregnancy, in mid-November 2019of the year. My husband arrived later: in my 34th week, in December. We took tickets for him with transfers. It turned out 32,679 R in both directions.

We flew back on the same day, but on different flights. This was originally planned: my husband had to fly out of the USA before me because of work. Now I understand that I would hardly let my husband go and be left alone in the States.

Adding an infant and changing the date of the return ticket. I needed to add an infant to my return ticket. When buying, it was impossible to do this, since there were no documents for the unborn child yet. Therefore, we changed the ticket in January 2020, when we already had a birth certificate in our hands. nine0003

It turned out that you can only add a child in person at the Aeroflot office - the nearest one was in Los Angeles. Between San Diego and Los Angeles is approximately 200 km. It is hard to travel such a distance with a small child, so we decided that my husband would go alone. On the hotline, I was told that he must have a notarized power of attorney from me in order to make changes to the ticket.

We found a Russian-speaking notary in San Diego and made two powers of attorney: in Russian and English. Both cost us $20⁣ (1478 R). As a result, no one asked for this power of attorney in the Aeroflot office. nine0003

My original return ticket was for mid-April. I calculated this date, taking into account the preliminary date of delivery and the time for paperwork. The "Economy-Maximum" fare allows you to change departure dates with an additional charge if the cost of the fare has changed. Due to the fact that I gave birth prematurely, I changed the departure date to February 21, 2020, just on the day of my husband's return flight.

1515 $

my husband and I spent on tickets and powers of attorney56 R), for adding a baby - 100 $⁣ (7391 R).

In total, my husband and I spent $1,515⁣ (R111,977) and 70,000 Aeroflot miles on tickets with a power of attorney.

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Housing

Before my husband arrived, my friends offered to stay with them in San Diego. When my husband arrived, we rented an apartment.

It is quite difficult to rent an apartment without a credit history and for a short time in the USA. Credit history in the United States is generally one of the main characteristics of a person. It shows how respectable you are and how you know how to handle money. It is looked at not only when issuing loans at the bank, but also when renting housing, and sometimes when applying for a job. nine0003

To keep things simple, we just found an apartment on Airbnb.com. A one-bedroom apartment 200 meters from the ocean cost 262,261 R in two months.

/airbnb/

How to rent an apartment on Airbnb

The apartment itself was small, but well-furnished and renovated. It had everything for a comfortable life. The kitchen has a full-fledged stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and even a coffee maker. The bedroom has a large double bed. Most importantly, there were washing machines and dryers. In the United States, few apartments have washing machines, because laundries are very common. nine0003

On the roof of the building there was an open terrace overlooking the ocean, where there was a grill, tables and chairs. I really liked the terrace from the photo, but in the end we didn’t cook anything there.

Visa

I had a valid US visa that was expiring in July, four months prior to my trip to the US. According to the rules, if less than a year has passed since the end of the previous visa, then a new one can be obtained according to a simplified scheme: you need to fill out an application form on the website and send your passport to the American consulate. Most often, the visa will simply be extended for another three years. But sometimes, if the consul has questions, they can call for an interview. nine0003

I was lucky: I did not pass the second interview. The visa fee was standard - $160⁣ (R11,826). The consulate charges a fee in rubles, so the rate is usually not the most favorable, in my case - 66 R per dollar.

/visa-run-usa/

How to get a US tourist visa

My husband also had a valid US visa at the time.

Visa Tightening

In early 2020, the United States tightened the issuance of visas to pregnant women. Now, if the consul has a suspicion that a woman is receiving a visa specifically for childbirth, he has the right to demand additional documents: an agreement with the hospital and certificates of availability of money. So the consul will make sure that the woman will pay for the birth at her own expense, and not at the expense of the US budget. nine0003

Ria Novosti: How the new US visa rules will work

It is not clear how this will work in reality: consuls are not allowed to directly ask if a woman is pregnant during an interview. But they can, for example, ask about the purpose of the trip. If a woman does not tell the consul that she is going to the United States to give birth, then already at the entrance, border control officers can compare the date of receipt of a visa and the duration of pregnancy and refuse entry due to deception at the interview. In general, it is better to get a visa in advance. nine0003 My visa. At the entrance, the officer circled the inscription B2 on the stamp - this means that I entered for medical purposes

Border control

It was not easy to go through control at the border. I honestly told the officer that I had come to give birth. They asked me how much money I had with me and took me to a separate room where it was impossible to use the telephone.

I spent about two hours in this room, of which the conversation with the officer took about 20 minutes. Before the trip, I studied the forums and knew that at the border control I might be asked to confirm the availability of money. Therefore, I printed out the account statements in English in advance. She showed them, cash and a letter from the clinic, which indicated the cost of childbirth. She said that I can imagine how much everything will cost me. nine0003

Vinsky's forum: childbirth in the USA

All this is needed for this. A child born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen, therefore, he claims insurance, which can cover, among other things, the cost of childbirth. In the United States, there is social insurance for low-income citizens - Medicaid. Only residents can claim this insurance, but there are loopholes that allow non-residents to apply for help, such as the Medicaid Emergency insurance program. It provides emergency medical care. nine0003

Your Medicaid Emergency application will be processed within two months. At this time, the pregnant woman visits the gynecologist, and the payment for visits is deducted from the insurance account. If childbirth occurs during the review process, insurance can be approved retroactively - then Medicaid will cover the cost of all medical services in general. After that, entry into the States will be banned for 10 years or for life. A child who has obtained citizenship in this way will not be able to enter America for a long time. In the future, there will be problems with inviting relatives to the country. nine0003

As a result, they let me through the border. They gave me a social security number so that I could ask them for confirmation before leaving that I did not use state money. They told me to have the confirmation with me the next time I enter the country.

I did not manage to get this confirmation. I was sent to the local social security department by phone number. They were very surprised at such a request: they said that since there were no records on the child, they could not give anything. I asked for at least confirmation that the child had an empty story. Employees consulted with the whole department, they said that they saw such a requirement for the first time. As a result, an employee from Mexico said that all her acquaintances who gave birth in the United States simply showed paid checks at the next entry. nine0003

Car, insurance and tax

It's hard to live without a car in the US. I planned to buy a car right away and sell it before leaving. According to my calculations, this should have been more profitable than renting. You can buy a car on a tourist visa only in some states, California is one of them. I decided that a week would be enough for me to find and buy a car.

Even before the trip, I asked in the San Diego Russian Facebook group if anyone was selling a car. The girl responded. She sold a 2008 Mazda 3 for 2900 $⁣ (214 346 R).

Russian Mixer ❘ San Diego

Already in the USA, I contacted this girl again and on the third day of my arrival I went to see the car. Everything suited me. We agreed that the sales girl and her husband would make a smog check for the car - this is something like our technical inspection - and I will pick it up.

The process of buying a car in the USA is quite simple: you need to fill out a Certificate of title — an analogue of our Title Deed. The main part is taken by the buyer, the tear-off coupon remains with the seller. nine0003 Certificate of title - analogue of title - for the car, which was given to me by the seller Smog-check for the car

Three months later, when my husband and I were about to fly to Russia, we sold the car on the Facebook Marketplace for 2800 $⁣ (206 955 R) . Marketplace is a message board that is linked to a Facebook account. This service is not yet available in Russia.

As a result, we spent $100⁣ (7391 R) on the car itself, taking into account its further resale. For comparison, renting a Compact class car for the first six days cost me 14,387 RUR. After selling the car, we rented a car of the same class again for three days for 192 $⁣ (14,191 R). The Compact class is one of the most inexpensive classes of cars with four doors. For example, the first time I rented a Hyundai Elantra, the second time I rented a Nissan Leaf.

/car-rent/

How to rent a car abroad

Insurance. You need insurance to drive the purchased car. In the USA, it is issued not for a car, but for a person. When renting, insurance is already included in the price. I had to take out insurance for the car I bought.

The cheapest option was Geico insurance. Payment for the first month for two people - and I immediately added to my husband's insurance - $ 102.85 ⁣ (7601 R). Then we paid $101.97⁣ (R7536) once a month. Insurance is issued for at least six months, but if you sell the car earlier, the contract can be terminated. As a result, we paid 306.79 for insurance$⁣ (22,675 R).

Registration and tax. Within 10 days, a new car must be registered with the DMV - this is an analogue of our traffic police. For registration, you need to bring a Certificate of title and a smog check. The car number can be changed, but you can leave it - it's easier.

I immediately paid the transport tax in DMV. To make the amount smaller, the seller girl and I indicated the cost of $2,000⁣ (147,825 R) in the Certificate of title tear-off coupon. The tax on such an amount is $170⁣ (R12,565). nine0003

Thus, our own car cost us $577⁣ (R42,647) for three months. At the same time, the lowest cost of renting a car for a month that I have seen is $650⁣ (48,043 R). In three months, at least 1950 $⁣ (144,129 R) would be obtained.

Hospital and doctor

Choice of hospital and cost of services. Prices for hospital services in the United States can be found in advance in Russia, but for this, most likely, you will have to call: hospitals do not particularly respond to letters - they offer to contact by phone. The price usually includes only childbirth and postnatal stay. The doctor, anesthesia, etc. are paid separately. nine0003

There are several large hospitals in San Diego where you can give birth: Sharp Mary Birch for Women and Newborns, Jacobs Medical Center and UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest. There are other maternity hospitals. These are not exactly hospitals: there are no operating rooms, anesthesia and medicines - only natural childbirth is supposed. In case of complications, they are sent to the hospital from there. Maternity hospitals, of course, are cheaper, but I didn’t even consider them, because I prefer medical care to be as accessible as possible. As it turned out, not in vain. nine0003

/mexico-baby/

I gave birth in Mexico

I ended up choosing Sharp Mary Birch for Women and Newborns. I leaned towards it from the very beginning, because my friend gave birth there. I also really liked Jacobs Medical Center from the photo, but the prices there turned out to be about three times higher than in Sharp: $15,000⁣ (R1,108,687) for natural childbirth and $30,000⁣ (R2,217,375) for a caesarean . In Sharp Mary Birch, the price of natural childbirth is $4,900⁣ (R362,171), caesarean delivery is $6,200⁣ (R458,257) or $7,450⁣ (R550,648) depending on the package. nine0003

Sharp was also the only hospital to respond to my email with package options and prices. The other two hospitals offered to call.

You can go on a tour to selected hospitals - such a free tour, during which they show the wards, tell how the birth will take place. It is better to sign up for these tours in advance on the hospital website.

I went on a tour at Sharp Mary Birch: I was interested in seeing the hospital before giving birth. Initially, I planned to take package A with natural childbirth, but I did not pay anything in advance. She signed an agreement with the hospital itself almost in the process of childbirth, at the same time she paid the first part of the cost of the package. nine0003

$4900

natural birth at Sharp Mary Birch for Women and Newborns

Physician's Choice. Upon arrival in the USA, I had to make an appointment with a doctor. Since I had already chosen the hospital where I wanted to give birth, I needed a doctor who could give birth in it.

The health care system is different in the United States. Here, doctors sit in their offices and clinics, but they can deliver in one or more hospitals. On the hospital's website, you can see doctors who have accreditation in it. nine0003 Doctors at the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital website. My doctor is Gary O'Hara. By the way, he is 62, and he looks the same as in photo

. It turned out that many doctors do not want to take pregnant women for such a long period as mine - then it was already the 30th week of my pregnancy. Other doctors no longer had free time. As a result, I was able to make an appointment only two weeks after my arrival in San Diego - on December 2. I didn't choose a doctor, they just appointed me one who had free time.

At my first appointment, I had to pay the full amount for the remaining period of observation with the doctor - 4183 $⁣ (309 175 R). This amount included only receptions and his presence at the birth. All analyzes and other studies were paid additionally.

Prenatal examinations

I did not see the doctor at the first appointment, the midwife talked to me and asked about my well-being and if I had any questions. She sent me for tests: blood type, previous infections, general blood and urine tests. It all cost another $447⁣ (R33,038).

I was also prescribed an ultrasound scan and scheduled all the appointments until the very date of delivery. In total, I was supposed to have seven appointments, but I only attended two, because I gave birth prematurely.

No one issues an invoice for additional studies immediately. They either come in paper form to the address specified in the contract with the doctor, or they can be viewed electronically in your personal account. There you can also see the results of tests and studies, but only after they are evaluated by a doctor or midwife. nine0003 Personal account of the clinic, where you can see the tests, write a letter to the doctor or make an appointment

I came for the first ultrasound on December 12. During the examination itself, no one says anything to the patient - the doctor will tell everything later. After the ultrasound, it turned out that the child has problems with weight, although everything was normal before the flight from Russia. I learned that not everything is in order from a letter from my midwife almost a week after the study - on December 17th.

She also wrote that they would give me a referral for an ultrasound in the department of pathology of pregnant women. I waited for this direction for more than a week, and they signed me up for a date in three weeks - January 14th. I also didn’t get there because of the early birth. nine0003

Based on the first ultrasound, the doctor prescribed CTG twice a week - fetal cardiotocography. It analyzes the movements and heartbeat of the child, as well as the tone of the uterus. CTG had to be paid separately. In total, I managed to do three studies, the bill came only for the first one - $ 130⁣ (9608 R).

$130

I paid for prenatal tests

Cardiotocography had to be done at Sharp Mary Birch. The first two went well. On the third CTG, on December 30, we went with my husband. Fortunately, he arrived two days before. nine0003

In the course of the study, it was found that the child's heartbeat sometimes drops to critical values. First, they left me in the hospital for two hours. Since the attacks were repeated, we decided to leave it all night for observation. For this, it was necessary to conclude a contract with the hospital and pay for it. We paid for package A with natural childbirth - 4900 $⁣ (362,171 R).

According to the terms of the contract, my doctor had to come to the hospital for my delivery. But it was New Year's Eve, and he went on vacation. Therefore, the doctor on duty was with me. She immediately warned that in the event of a negative development of the situation, she would perform a caesarean section. nine0003

My husband stayed with me in the room. There was a sofa for him.

Childbirth and postpartum stay

A couple of hours after I was admitted to the ward, the situation worsened. The child began hypoxia - oxygen starvation. The doctor told me to do a caesarean section.

I felt like I was in an American TV series. Seven people ran into the ward at once. They made me get on all fours and put on an oxygen mask. Everyone was fussing around, the nurses were shouting: “Wake up, baby! Wake up!" By this time, my husband managed to fall asleep, because he was still tormented by jet lag. He woke up already in the midst of events and was shocked by the picture he saw. nine0003

We were very worried about the weight of the baby, because he was very small for his term. But the doctor said that Sharp is the best place where such a child can be born. The smallest baby on the planet was born there, weighing only 245 g. A girl named Sabi was discharged after five months of intensive care with a weight of 2300 g. , but for her - far from the first. And if it was possible to do without the operation, she would definitely tell about it. nine0003

I was quickly prepared for the caesarean section, my husband was given special clothes. He was present at the operation: he was brought in at the moment when the baby appeared. One of the nurses put his hand on mine. Then the nurse took her husband and child away for weighing and other procedures.

For all the time in the hospital, we never let the child out of our sight. A tag with an electronic label is immediately hung on the newborn's leg. When you try to take the child out of the hospital, the alarm will go off. When the doctors made sure that I was recovering normally from epidural anesthesia, they brought my son to the postoperative box. I stayed in the box for about an hour, then we were all transferred to the ward. One of the nurses spent almost the whole night with us. She helped feed and swaddle her son, told about other newborns: that on that day only one boy was born to them - ours. nine0003

The baby was born weighing 2200 g and 8/9 on the Apgar scale - this is a special evaluation of newborns. The son is very good. I know that in Russia all babies weighing less than 2500 g are placed in a special box. In the USA, if everything is fine with the child, he is immediately placed in the ward with his mother.

Pediatric Intensive Care - NICU

Before traveling to give birth in the US, keep in mind that Pediatric Care is very expensive here. In Sharp Mary Birch, a day will cost from $3,119⁣ (R196,497) to $6,237⁣ (392931 R). Fortunately, our son did not need resuscitation.

Since my contract was for natural delivery, we paid up to the caesarean section package. Together with three days in the hospital, it turned out to be $2,550⁣ (R188,476).

Due to his small weight, my son needed complementary foods: he could not wait for my milk to arrive. There was a mixture and donor milk to choose from. The mixture was included in the package, and donor milk cost 20 $⁣ (1478 R) for a 50 ml bottle. We chose him. The bill for milk was never sent to us. nine0003

The next morning the anesthesiologist came to us and brought the bill. The epidural cost $800⁣ (R59,130). Another doctor brought pictures of the baby. In a hurry, none of us even thought to take the phone, and the anesthesiologist took a picture of the moment of birth. In parting, he left his business card.

$800

epidural anesthesia cost

Separately, we also had to pay for the services of a doctor. But since my doctor could not be present at the birth, although this was part of the contract with him, nothing more was required of us: they themselves somehow figured out the payment with the doctor on duty. nine0003

Every day a gynecologist, a pediatrician and a lactation consultant came to our room. The gynecologist was the one that was provided for by my contract, that is, from the office of my doctor. The lactation consultation was included in the hospital package. We paid for pediatrician consultations separately.

All this time, my husband actually lived with us in the ward: there was a folding sofa for a partner, and in the next building there was a cafeteria with food. I was fed very tasty food. Before each meal, a woman came with the menu, I chose at least two dishes. nine0003 Board in the ward with the main information. We fixed feedings and diaper changes on it. In the morning, the nurse on duty wrote her name and phone number, as well as our plan for the day Card with the signature of our nurses, which we received later by mail

Pediatrics

heels for screening for genetic diseases. This was all included in the hospital package.

We paid 29 for the first visit of a pediatrician in the hospital1 $⁣ (21 508 R), for the second — 157 $⁣ (11 604 R), for the third — 211 $⁣ (15 595 R). They were all three different doctors. In the end, we chose a third pediatrician, so that later we could go to her for appointments.

/privivki/

How much does it cost to vaccinate a child? The doctor examined him, made sure that the child was gaining weight, advised him to take vitamin D and said goodbye.

The second visit did not differ much from the first. At the last appointment, the pediatrician recommended that all vaccinations be done before departure. Vaccinations themselves in the USA are always free, even without insurance. But if you do them in a doctor's office, then you have to pay for the appointment. The pediatrician advised me to contact the Public Health Center, where you can do everything for free. nine0003

We paid $273⁣ (R20,178) for each visit with a pediatrician after the maternity hospital. In total, it turned out to be 819 $⁣ (60,534 R).

Documents

In the hospital, after giving birth, a special person comes to you to draw up documents for the child. It sends information to the local government service. In two weeks, you can get a birth certificate in the County of the city - this is something like a district administration. You can make as many copies as you like, but only one is free. We made three copies of the certificate - it cost $86⁣ (R6356). The birth certificate was received on January 13. nine0003

In the hospital, you must specify the address to which the insurance number will be sent - SSN. This is a very important document: it is this number that de facto identifies a citizen. Therefore, indicate the address where you can receive the letter - or someone can do it for you.

You can also immediately apply for a US citizen's passport, which is required here only for trips abroad. Since you still need to enter Russia using Russian documents, a passport can be made later at any American consulate. We haven't done it yet. nine0003

The most difficult thing is the Russian documents. Officially, citizenship and a Russian foreign passport for a child can only be done at Russian consulates. There are only three of them left in the USA: in Washington, New York and Houston. You need to sign up through the site, and then fly there with your child. This is not very convenient if you are in California.

There are many firms in the USA that organize citizenship and passports through Russia. Most of them are in Florida. We just used the services of such a company. They promised to do all the paperwork in three weeks and $850⁣ (R62,825). In fact, it took four weeks to send documents to Miami and back. Documents were sent there by DHL, it cost $20⁣ (1478 R). Return shipping was included in the price. I don't know exactly how they make these documents, because it's not exactly according to the rules. nine0003

In any case, in order to obtain Russian documents, you first need to put an apostille on your birth certificate. This is done in the state secretariat. The nearest secretariat was in Los Angeles. The cost of issuing an apostille is $26⁣ (1921 R). Documents can be submitted in person or sent by express mail. My husband drove himself: it's faster. At the same time, he stopped at the Aeroflot office and changed my return ticket.

/legalise/

What is consular legalization of documents

On January 17, we sent an apostilled son's birth certificate to intermediaries. They also needed copies of the parents' passports in electronic form and a photo of the child on a white background. I just took a photo with my phone.

A month later, on February 18, we were sent a birth certificate with a translation and a citizenship stamp, as well as a foreign passport. We could return to Russia.

In total, the paperwork for our son cost us 982 $⁣ (72,582 R).

Children's things and household

Baby items. After the baby is born, baby clothes and supplies will be needed. Of the mandatory - a car seat. Without it, they will not be discharged from the hospital in the USA: the medical staff always checks for its presence. Like most other things, I ordered the chair on Amazon. It cost $299⁣ (22,099 R). You can buy cheaper, but I took Chicco, which, according to tests, is considered one of the safest.

Good and inexpensive baby clothes can be found at Carter's. For example, a set of six cotton bodysuits costs $14⁣ (R1034). Inexpensive things for everyone are in Dress-for-less. They sell old collections of popular brands. nine0003

We did not buy a stroller, but we did purchase a stand with wheels for a car seat for $99⁣ (7317 R). We then took all these things to Russia.

/baby-cost/

How much does a child cost in the first year

Communication. You will definitely need a local SIM card, because everywhere you need to indicate the phone number, and it’s sad without mobile Internet. I bought the card from AT&T. Full unlimited calls and internet cost $79⁣ (R5839) per month. Unfortunately, it was impossible to distribute it to other devices. nine0003

Food. We spent about 150⁠—⁠170 $⁣ (11,086⁠—⁠12,564.1333 R) a week on food, we didn’t save much. Basically, we bought products from Sprouts - a chain of farm stores - or at farmers' markets.

California grows most of the fruits and vegetables in the United States. You can buy them in the markets or go to the farm itself. My friends and I went for persimmons. A huge bucket of persimmons, which we collected ourselves, cost $15⁣ (1108 R).

If you want to save money, it is better to take products in large hypermarkets such as Walmart, Food 4 Less, etc. You can buy some little things in Dollar Tree, where everything is for a dollar, or in 99¢.

$24,502

we spent on childbirth in California

I calculated our main expenses to understand how much my birth in California cost.

Spent on childbirth in California — 1,544,106 R

Medical expenses (prenatal care, childbirth, hospital stay, pediatrics)

in dollars

14 448 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

910 224 2

housing for 2 months

in dollars

4163 $

in the rate for 2019

2222 262 269 p

Tickets for two with a baby and re -registration of

in dollars

1515 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

95 445 R

in dollars

about 1500 $

002 In rubles for the course for 2019

about 94 500 r

car (rent, purchase, insurance and tax)

In dollars

997 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

Documents

in dollars

982 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

61 866 p

Children's accessories

in dollars

about $ 500 $

In rubles for the rate for 2019

about 31 500 r

in dollars

237 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

14

in dollars

160 $ ​​

in rubles in rubles The rate for 2019

10 560 r

in dollars

24 502 $

in rubles for the rate for 2019

1 544 106 R

What needs to be known about childbirth in the USA and California

1. it is better to receive in advance - even before you become pregnant. nine0571
2. If you don’t know the language, it will be easiest to give birth in Florida: there is a developed infrastructure for those arriving from Russia.
3. It is obligatory to have cash or bank statements in English with you at customs. It is necessary to immediately announce how much childbirth will cost. Entering the country to have a baby is still legal, but the officer is interested in you not using American taxpayer money.
4. Accommodation is easiest to book on Airbnb.
5. If you are going to a state where tourists can buy cars, you can save a lot on car rental. You will have to buy insurance, go to registration and pay tax. You can find a car in Russian groups or on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. nine0571
6. If something goes wrong, more money will be needed: medicine is very expensive in the USA. It is better to have a financial cushion in such a case.
7. The easiest way to buy children's things and accessories on Amazon: cheap, everything will be delivered right to the door, there are no problems with returns.
8. The longest and most difficult is the Russian documents for a child: a mark of citizenship and a passport. It is necessary to lay at least two months for their manufacture.

Child Care Vouchers

1. Eligibility
2. Statement
3. Reference

Childcare vouchers help cover the cost of caring for children aged 6 weeks to 13 years. Assistance also applies to children under the age of 19 who have a disability. There are hundreds of childcare voucher-accepting providers in New York City who provide a safe, learning-friendly environment both at home and at learning centers. nine0003

• Vouchers help cover some or all of your childcare costs. Most families must pay part of the costs themselves, based on their income level and size. Coverage for all childcare costs is provided by:
  • families receiving cash assistance;
  • families without a fixed place of residence;
  • foster parents.
• Childcare vouchers allow you to use not only licensed and regulated providers, but also approved informal providers such as relatives, neighbors or friends. nine0571
• Your child can join the child care program at any time during the year.
• Eligibility for the program depends on family income, size, and other needs.
• Parents do not have to be US citizens, but a child receiving child care services must have US citizenship or citizenship or suitable immigration status.
• Availability of vouchers depends on funding.

Who is eligible

You may qualify for a voucher if your family members receive cash assistance or are homeless. You may also qualify if your income is below the following:

You must also have one of the following "reasons for leaving":

• You work 10 or more hours per week
• You are a participant in a general or vocational education program
• You are looking for a job
• You live in temporary housing (priority access)
• You visit a shelter for victims of domestic violence

How to apply

Submit your application

1. Download and complete the applications.

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