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Facilities around Los Angeles County will start offering free feminine hygiene products, diapers, and other personal care items under a new program.
Supervisor Hilda Solis, who co-authored the motion, said she was motivated by the high cost of hygiene products. Those costs impact menstruating people differently depending on their income. Period poverty can lead to lack access to sanitary products. For parents, she added, the costly price of menstrual products are compounded with the high cost of diapers.
“It’s not lost on me that for the first time we are an all woman board — a fact that I know we are all very proud of,” Solis said. “This is our chance to address an inequity that we ourselves as well as our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, and many of our residents experience regularly.”
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the motion. Once implemented, the products will be at county-run locations including parks, libraries and social services through a one-year pilot program.
“Just as we provide toilet paper and soap in public restrooms, we should also provide feminine hygiene products and diapers, so that women’s basic health needs, and the needs of their infants, can be met in our county restrooms,” said Supervisor and co-author Sheila Kuehl in a statement.
Multiple county departments, including the Departments of Parks and Recreation, Public Social Services, cultural venues and museums have been directed to work together to report back in 60 days with proposals for funding and implementation.
A similar pilot program is currently underway in the city of L.A.
