The Center for Community Health and Well-Being, Inc., a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 by Kathryn Hall-Trujillo, M.P.H. The Center houses the Birthing Project Clinic, a community clinic that provides prenatal and postnatal services not only to low-income women, but also to women affected by the economic downturn. The clinic was established to address the high infant mortality rate in Sacramento. The Birthing Project Clinic centers its focus and services on their main goal: reduction of the infant mortality rate by ensuring babies are born healthy as possible by providing women with adequate care throughout their pregnancy and important parenting knowledge and support.

The clinic welcomes and serves all ethnicities. According to the Center for Community Health and Well-Being, Inc, the clinic usually “serves 90 new patients every month” (Center for Community Health and Well-Being Annual Report 2009-2010). Out of the new 90 patients, “77% of them are pregnant” (Center for Community Health and Well-Being Annual Report 2009-2010). The Birthing Project Clinic has held small fundraisers and plans to focus more efforts on fundraising in the near future. Additionally, the clinic has participated in health fairs.

Around mid-November 2011, The Center for Community Health and Well-Being, Inc, will establish a satellite clinic called the New Beginnings Birth and Wellness Center in South Sacramento. New Beginnings will offer the same services as their 1900 T Street location.

Services

The services the clinic provides include:

• Prenatal and Postpartum care (e.g. health/nutrition care, prenatal check ups)
• Family planning
• Parenting and childbirth classes
• Gynecological (GYN) exams
• Birth control
• Pregnancy tests
• TB tests ($15 fee) and STD/HIV tests for both men and women

Important Note: The clinic does not provide abortion services.

The clinic accepts Medi-Cal and Family PACT, which is a program that provides free family planning services to women, men, and teens. If pregnant patients do not have insurance, the clinic provides Presumptive Eligibility (PE), which is emergency Medi-Cal for 30 days. During this period, patients have to apply for full Medi-Cal coverage. The clinic does not accept private health insurance.

Volunteers

The clinic welcomes good-spirited volunteers anytime. Volunteers will predominately do administrative work. The time commitment to be a volunteer is flexible. The clinic will work around their volunteers’ schedules, however four-hour time blocks are favored. Volunteers do not need special training.

Donations

The clinic heavily relies on monetary donations. With the cuts in MediCal reimbursements, donations made help to ensure continued quality and timely care are provided to many women in need. The public can donate money by mailing it to their offices or through the clinic’s website which contains a link to Paypal.

The clinic also accepts donations of baby clothes, toddler wears up to age 3, blankets, bibs, cribs, car seats, and strollers that are in decent shape. These items and other related baby items may be dropped off at the clinic Monday-Friday 9AM- 5PM. The donated baby supplies are used to stock the Baby Buck Store. The Baby Buck Store was set up by the clinic to provide their patients with important baby wear and supplies. The store accepts only “Baby Bucks,” the special in-house currency patients must earn to make purchases at the store. Patients receive “Baby Bucks” by attending their appointments.

See also other local services & organizations.

This report was written for Cynthia Linville’s English 20 class at CSU Sacramento Fall 2011.

Works Cited

Center for Community Health and Well-Being Annual Report 2009-2010 http://cchwb.org/annual-reports/

The images are provided by the Center for Community Health and Well-Being Inc.