Last weekend, the Jalisco government launched the largest social assistance program ever created in the state, with the aim of reaching around 1.5 million residents.

The program, called “Yo Jalisco” (I Jalisco), will provide support to a diverse group of beneficiaries, including children, youth, indigenous people, seniors, women, family members of missing persons, people with disabilities, rural laborers and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The initiative will be carried out by 600 “brigade” members working across 12 regions of the state. Their mission is to identify and assist individuals who will benefit from the program.

In an effort to streamline social policy under one comprehensive initiative, Yo Jalisco will offer a variety of services. These include helping citizens obtain free state health insurance and transportation subsidies, as well as addressing other needs such as daycare, scholarships and business development. The program will also offer financial and moral support to caregivers, NGOs, people involved in environmental projects, farmers, working mothers and more.

More than a dozen state agencies will collaborate with the Yo Jalisco program, along with approximately 220 “community associations,” according to a government press release.

A significant portion of the state government’s social spending will be channeled into the program’s budget, with 2.4 billion pesos (US$116 million) allocated for the first year, Lemus said.

The press release describes the program as “a new way of doing social policy: accessible, inclusive and unconditional … This isn’t just about providing support. It’s about transforming lives with the right tools.”

At the program’s launch, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus called it “a model that puts its heart into serving and guarantees that everyone has the same opportunities to succeed.”