CA ABP Community Investment:

  CA ABP is investing over $4,300,000 in Alameda County from 2024-2026.

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The California Abundant Birth Project (CA ABP) is a guaranteed income program that provides cash during pregnancy. It was developed by Expecting Justice and the community to make birthing healthier and safer for the people facing the greatest risk during their pregnancy journey.

Alameda County ABP provides $967 a month for 12 months with no strings attached as a strategy to prevent stress during pregnancy. Research shows this is likely to prevent babies from being born too early or too small and can also protect the health of the mother (birthing parent). By providing unconditional cash, mamas have resources to support themselves and their families, and babies have the chance at a healthy start.

  ACHSI Community Investment:

 $1,008,333 annually for the next 5 years.

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The Alameda County Healthy Start Initiative (ACHSI) integrates and supplements a range of Starting Out Strong case management services, providing Afrocentric outreach and community engagement, group prenatal care, care coordination, and mental health supports. Essentially, Alameda County Public Health Department’s Maternal, Paternal, Child & Adolescent Health Unit (MPCAH) aims to dismantle the unjust systems and practices that are robbing Black birthing people and babies of their futures. MPCAH has innovated interventions, grappled with complex challenges, and learned invaluable lessons from its response to persistent perinatal health disparities and has been the driver of aligning maternal, child and family support service strategies with the social determinants of health to specifically improve perinatal health outcomes for African American residents. 

Black women and birthing people face challenges that stem from policies and systems rooted in racism. They are twice as likely to live in poverty or to experience hardships, such as homelessness or the incarceration of a loved one, during pregnancy. In addition, chronic, transgenerational exposure to racism results in toxic stress that has been shown to have a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of Black individuals, regardless of income or education levels. Reducing the disparity in maternal and infant health outcomes between African Americans and all other racial/ethnic groups in Alameda County is a top priority. 

ACHSI’s flagship program, EmbraceHer, in partnership with local Alameda Health System-Highland Hospital and Wellness Clinics (AHS), implements and coordinates BElovedBIRTH Black Centering, a group prenatal care program adapted from CenteringPregnancy, an evidence-based program model and curriculum of the Centering Healthcare Institute, which has shown to nearly eliminate racial disparities in preterm birth. AHS, the county’s public safety-net healthcare provider, is the licensee authorized to provide CenteringPregnancy® in the local health jurisdiction and hosts BBBC group sessions at its Eastmont Wellness Center clinic in a dedicated conference room tailored to meet required standards and protocols. BBBC is an innovative new program designed to provide group perinatal care by, for, and withBlack people—delivering holistic, culturally attuned, and racially concordant care rooted in the frameworks of health equity, antiracism, and birth justice. 

BElovedBIRTH integrates AHS clinical services with ACHSI-specific Starting Out Strong family support services. It is a midwifery-led, evidence-informed “gold package” perinatal care program with comprehensive wrap-around social support designed to eliminate racism-based disparities for Black birthing people.

BIH II Community Investment:

 Annual Allocation $750,000 for 

FY 2024/25 and FY 2025/26.

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NOTE: Stay tuned for upcoming $1,500,000 Request for Proposal (RFP).

Anti-Black Racism, as well as social and economic stressors, play a major role in poor birth outcomes—babies born too early and too small—for Black women. Within a culturally supportive environment, and honoring the unique history of Black women, California Black Infant Health (BIH) supports women on their pregnancy journey.

The Black Infant Health Program provides prenatal and postpartum group interventions that encourage empowerment and social support in the context of a life course perspective. In addition, case management interventions are provided to ensure access to community and health related services. Also, the case management allows participants who are unable to attend the traditional group model. We also provide Postpartum Entry to participants with infants up to 6 months of age. The services provided by the Black Infant Health Program are done in a culturally relevant manner that respects the woman’s beliefs and cultural values while promoting overall health and wellness. The following are topics discussed in prenatal and postpartum group sessions:

· African American history

· Understanding and managing stress

· Resources and services in the community

· Myths vs. medical facts related to pregnancy.

· Nutrition and exercise

· Fetal development/danger signs of early labor

· Breastfeeding

· Parenting styles

· Baby safety

· Postpartum depression and baby blues

· Nurturing touch and its impact on bonding

· Intimate relationship issues including improving communication.

· Sexual health

· Planning for your future/goal setting

Services are free and provided by our Family Health Advocates, Group Facilitators, Public Health Nurses, Community Outreach Liaison and Social Workers. We serve Black women and birth people who are 16 years or older (18 and older to participate in group), live in Alameda County, be pregnant or up to 6 months postpartum. Case management only services must be 16 years and older, live in Alameda County, be pregnant or up to 6 months postpartum.