REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 23, 2026
FROM
JANKI PATEL, Acting Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with California Health Collaborative to Provide Maternal and Child Health Services in the High Desert Region Under the Black Infant Health Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contract with California Health Collaborative, to provide maternal and child health services in the High Desert region under the Black Infant Health Program, in the amount of $2,268,312, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.
(Presenter: Janki Patel, Acting Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health, and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost of $2,268,312 for the Black Infant Health (BIH) Program maternal and child health services in the High Desert is funded by State General Funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2026-27 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 1989, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) expanded its commitment toward ensuring that all babies are born healthy by placing an emphasis on Black/African American infants, due to the alarming and disparate rates of morbidity and mortality in the population. CDPH established the BIH Program within its maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division, which currently funds 18 local health jurisdictions, including San Bernardino County. DPH provides BIH services countywide to Black/African American women who are at least 16 years old and pregnant or up to six months postpartum at the time of the enrollment in the program.
The California Health Collaborative (CHC) provides maternal and child health services in the High Desert region consisting of 10 weekly prenatal and 10 weekly postpartum group sessions focused on empowerment and social support along with case management to connect families to tailored community and health related services. DPH has partnered with CHC since 2021 in providing BIH services for the High Desert region.
Approval of this item would allow DPH to continue working with CHC to address the health needs of pregnant and postpartum Black/African American women through a State evidence-informed model spanning pregnancy and the infant’s first year. CHC’s performance is monitored by review of monthly reports and annual site visits to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract.
PROCUREMENT
The Purchasing Department supports this non-competitive procurement due to CHC’s specialized experience, credentials, and training to deliver BIH services in the High Desert.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 3, 2026; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on June 1, 2026; County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on June 4, 2026.