Early Matters Fresno has set a goal to impact 114,600 children ages 0-5 by 2035, setting them on a path to success in school, career and life. There are multiple policy issues directly connected to achieving this goal. The Early Matters Fresno policy agenda guides and prioritizes cross-sector policies and programs to promote prosperity, including mental and physical wellness, living wage jobs, system coordination, and neighborhood development and improvement.

The BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center (BLACK is an acronym for Belonging, Love, Affinity, Community and Kinship) is a research driven social enterprise founded to make policies and programs more effective.  A priority focus of BWPC’s work is to center lived experiences in advocacy and policy work with hospitals and healthcare systems and develop interventions that are effective and relevant to improving the birth experiences and birth outcomes in Fresno’s Black community.

The development of the “Operational Guidance for Power-Sharing with Black Girls, Women, Birthing Persons, and Mothers” is a notable achievement.

The BLACK Doula Network is training 30 black doulas with a long-term goal of 300 doulas serving the community. Advocacy by BLACK and other statewide parters helped to ensure that doula services would be covered by Medi-Cal beginning on January 21, 2023. This is an important legislative win for black maternal health.

Medi-Cal now covers full spectrum doula care, as preventive services. Doula services are aimed at preventing perinatal complications and improving health outcomes for birthing parents and infants. Doulas serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries provide person-centered, culturally competent care that supports the racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of beneficiaries while adhering to evidence-based best practices.