ORANGE COUNTY — The Orange County Health Care Agency decided not to renew a state grant for its Black Infant Health program, ending the initiative on June 30, 2026. The agency cited low enrollment and budget constraints as reasons for not pursuing continued funding.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento stated, "While the County was required to enroll at least 160 eligible participants annually, unfortunately, only 41 women have enrolled to date. As a result, the pilot program did not meet the enrollment thresholds required by the State in order to continue receiving funding." The California Department of Public Health required each funded service area to include at least 440 Black birthing people, and programs were expected to serve at least 128 participants per fiscal year. Orange County qualified for one service area under the program but reported serving only 70 mothers and 104 children since the program began.

Black residents make up approximately 2% of the county’s population, according to census data. A December county report found that in 2023, nearly 14% of births in the Black community were low birth weight, and preterm births among Black infants were the second highest at 11%.

Deirdre Harris, president of the NAACP of Orange County, said, "The program was created specifically because black women and infants experience disproportionate higher rates of maternal mortality, premature birth, pregnancy-related complications due to systemic inequities, chronic stress." She added, "It’s a lifeline for Black families," and said, "Removing these levels of support, it just deepens inequities, it increases isolation for these mothers who have nowhere else to go and it contributes to worsening maternal infant health and the outcomes in our community."

Arissa Palmer, executive director for BreastfeedLA, said, "As a mother who gave birth and raised a child in Orange County, I know firsthand how isolating the experience can feel without community support. Black families in Orange County already face barriers to culturally responsive care and resources." BreastfeedLA, which administered the program under a subcontract from First 5 OC, said the loss of funding will drastically reduce available services. The California Department of Public Health confirmed that no funding cuts were made to the statewide program and that Orange County leaders chose not to accept continued funding.