Family, Maternal and Child Health Programs within the Public Health Division of Contra Costa Health Services operate evidence-based programs to provide vulnerable women and their children with education, resources, and support during pregnancy and the early years of the child’s life. Several of our programs for pregnant women, new mothers and families receive funding specifically to provide food and other emergency assistance including transportation and items to care for the women and their families.  
  
The Black Infant Health (BIH) Program (5827) receives State general funds through the California Department of Public Health to implement an education and social support model which sponsors prenatal and post-partum support groups for women in West and East County. Client assistance to support group attendance include the following gift cards and transportation vouchers:  

• 400 Target gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $10,000. BIH participants may be eligible to receive these gift cards as a welcome baby gift upon enrollment, for incentive for participation/completion of prenatal group, upon completion of two Life Planning Sessions, and/or upon completion of the Satisfaction survey. An additional gift card is allowable if clients express an emergency need, when presented at a case conference by FHA, and approved by the BIH coordinator, as funds of last resort.
• 200 Walmart gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $5,000. Participants may be eligible to receive these gift card if an emergency need must be addressed and when presented at a case conference by FHA, and approved by the BIH coordinator, as funds of last resort.
• 200 Lucky Supermarket gift cards with a $50 value, totaling $10,000. Participant may be eligible to receive these gift cards if an emergency need must be addressed and when presented at case conference by FHA, and approved by BIH coordinator, as funds of last resort.
• 200 Arco gift cards with $25 value, totaling $5,000. Participants may be eligible to receive these gift cards if an emergency need must be addressed and when presented at a case conference by FHA, and approved by BIH coordinator, as funds of last resort.
• 60 of each type of voucher AC Transit ($5), BART ($5), CCCTA ($2), Tri-Delta monthly ($57), Tri-Delta daily ($3.75), West-Cat ($3.50) for a total of $4,575. Participants may be eligible to receive transportation assistance if they express an emergency need. Such need must be presented at case conference by FHA, and approved by BIH coordinator, as funds of last resort. Need to supply transportation support for our participants to and from group sessions.

• 296 Walmart gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $7,400. NFP clients may receive a gift card as a welcome gift upon enrollment, at 6 month breastfeeding continuation, at program completion (≥ 2 years), and/or if needed to address an emergency need. Such need must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by the NFP Nurse Manager.
• 75 Arco gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $1,875. Each client may receive a gift card per program phase (Pregnancy, Infancy and Toddlerhood), and must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.

• 693 Walmart gift cards with a $200 value, totaling $138,600. Eligibility criteria: As designated by the American Rescue Plan (California Home Visiting Program, California Department of Public Health), funds can be used toward providing prepaid grocery cards to Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) NFP clients for the purpose of meeting the emergency needs of the family. Each client will receive 1 card upon completion of program family assessment timepoint periods: 1) 5-7th pregnancy encounter, 2) 36th week gestational age encounter, 3) infant birth encounter, 4) infant 6 month encounter, 5) toddler 3rd visit encounter, 6) toddler 18 month encounter, 7) toddler 24 month encounter.
• 400 Walmart gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $10,000. Eligibility criteria: 1) each NFP client will receive 1 card as a welcome gift upon enrollment, 2) each eligible client will receive a card at 6 month breastfeeding continuation, 3) each client will receive a card at program completion (≥ 2 years), and 4) clients can receive 1 card if they express an emergency need. Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.
• 360 Arco gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $9,000. Eligibility criteria: Client can receive 1 card per program phase (Pregnancy, Infancy and Toddlerhood) if they express an emergency need. Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.

• 400 Walmart gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $10,000. Eligibility criteria: 1) each NFP client will receive 1 card as a welcome gift upon enrollment, 2) each eligible client will receive a card at 6 month breastfeeding continuation, 3) each client will receive a card at program completion (≥ 2 years), and 4) clients can receive 1 card if they express an emergency need. Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.
• 300 Target gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $7,500. Eligibility criteria: Clients can receive 1 card during each program phase (Pregnancy, Infancy, Toddler) if they express an emergency need. Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.
• 150 Arco gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $3,750. Eligibility criteria: Each client can receive 1 card per program phase (Pregnancy, Infancy and Toddlerhood). Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.

• 350 Walmart gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $8,750. Eligibility criteria: 1) each NFP client will receive 1 card as a welcome gift upon enrollment, 2) each eligible client will receive a card at 6 month breastfeeding continuation, 3) each client will receive a card at program completion (≥ 2 years), and 4) clients can receive 1 card if they express an emergency need. Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting by Public Health Nurse and approved by the NFP Nurse Manager.
• 130 Arco gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $3,250. Eligibility criteria: Each client can receive 1 card per program phase (Pregnancy, Infancy and Toddlerhood). Must be presented at case conference or 1:1 supervision meeting and approved by NFP Nurse Manager.

• 200 Target gift cards with a $25 value, totaling $5,000. Plan and/or eligibility criteria: 1) each PEI community member will receive 1 Target voucher as a support for their family during the perinatal period and to encourage engagement in the PEI Community Advisory Board. Each community member receives a card for attending and actively participating in the quarterly meetings, required by CDPH/MCAH.
• 32 Food Maxx gift cards with a $50 value, totaling $1,600. Eligibility criteria: Participants can receive food & transportation assistance if they express an emergency need to the PEI Coordinator. Must be presented at PEI Monthly Team meetings by assigned service provider of doula or fatherhood program, and approved by PEI coordinator, as funds of last resort, to assist with hardship regarding food insecure families and transportation needs to essential health and social services.
• 100 Arco gift cards with a $50 value, totaling $5,000. Eligibility criteria: Participant can receive I card if they express an emergency need to attend Community Advisory Board quarterly meetings. Must be approved by PEI coordinator, as funds of last resort.

If this request is not approved, the department will not be able to utilize funding specifically allocated for food, emergency assistance and transportation needs of clients. The inability to provide these financial supports may negatively impact the health and well-being of vulnerable women and their children living in our County.

Family, Maternal, and Child Health Programs achieve all 5 Children's Impact Statements: Children Ready for and Succeeding in School; Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; Families that are Economically Self Sufficient; Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing; and Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.