In a critical briefing with ethnic media, California officials reaffirmed that Medi-Cal continues to cover maternal health services for all pregnant residents, regardless of immigration status.
While federal health programs face cutbacks, California is expanding maternal health protections under Medi-Cal. The state now offers one of the most comprehensive maternal health benefit packages in the country.
Pregnant Californians, regardless of immigration status, are eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal during pregnancy and for 12 months postpartum, ensuring continuous care during one of the most critical times in their lives. Yet many families remain unaware that this support exists—let alone that it now includes expanded services through California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM).
This gap in awareness was at the heart of the third installment of a six-part ethnic media briefing series hosted by ACOM (American Community Media), in collaboration with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). The session featured two key speakers: Raquel Saunders, Section Chief at DHCS, and Sarah Gilbert, nurse practitioner and Chief of the Office of Family Planning at DHCS. Both emphasized the importance of maternal health equity and the critical need to inform immigrant communities about services available to them.
Across the nation, maternal health is in crisis. In many states, Medicaid postpartum coverage has been reduced or ended. Birth support services are disappearing. And for pregnant immigrants, especially those without documentation, access to care is increasingly fraught. But in California, the message is different.
“All pregnant people, regardless of immigration status, remain eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal during pregnancy and for 12 months postpartum,” said Saunders. Her words were more than reassurance—they were an urgent public service announcement.
From prenatal visits and postpartum mental health care to preventive dental work and lactation support, Medi-Cal’s maternal benefits are extensive. They now also include culturally responsive options like doula care and midwifery—services often underutilized in mainstream healthcare but vital to the communities Medi-Cal serves.
“We want to be clear,” Saunders repeated. “Nothing has changed in California.”
And in many ways, everything has. Through CalAIM, California is not just maintaining maternal health access; it is transforming it. The initiative integrates traditional clinical care with supportive services like housing assistance, transportation, and access to community-based health workers.
One of CalAIM’s key innovations is its embrace of culturally aligned care. This includes doulas and promotoras—trusted health workers embedded in communities who guide, inform, and empower expectant parents through the entire maternal health journey.
As of mid-November 2025, more than 1,098 doulas were enrolled in Medi-Cal. These doulas, many of whom are multilingual and community-rooted, provide up to eight visits before or after birth, continuous support during labor, and postpartum follow-up. If needed, families can receive up to nine more visits with provider approval.
“Doulas are more than birth coaches,” said Saunders. “They are emotional anchors and cultural navigators—and they are critical, especially for families facing systemic gaps.”
Equally important is California’s embrace of midwives. Both licensed and certified nurse midwives can now be reimbursed under Medi-Cal. These providers often bring a more personalized, home- or community-based approach to low-risk pregnancies—an option many immigrant families find more respectful and empowering.
Yet even with these expansions, barriers remain. Misinformation, fear of immigration consequences, and language gaps often keep eligible families from accessing care.
During the Q&A, ethnic media reporters raised a pressing concern: how to reassure undocumented women that using Medi-Cal won’t harm their immigration status. Saunders responded unequivocally: accessing maternal health services will not trigger immigration enforcement or factor into public charge evaluations.
“We understand the fear,” she acknowledged. “But the law protects your privacy, and these services will not affect your future immigration case.”
To reinforce that message, DHCS is translating resources into multiple languages and building tools like a searchable doula directory by region and language. These efforts aim to demystify the system and make maternal care feel not just available but welcoming.
Sarah Gilbert expanded the conversation with a spotlight on Family PACT. This program, she noted, is open to all income-eligible Californians—regardless of immigration status or Medi-Cal enrollment.
Family PACT offers free access to birth control, STI testing and treatment, cervical cancer screenings, and fertility counseling. For those under 200% of the federal poverty line, it may be the only access point to vital reproductive healthcare.
“We want every person to have control over when and how they grow their family,” said Gilbert. “And we want that access to come without fear.”
Still, programs are only as powerful as the trust they earn. That’s where promotoras come in. These community health workers speak the languages, understand the customs, and know the streets of the neighborhoods they serve. A promotora might accompany a mother to her prenatal appointments, help her apply for Medi-Cal, or connect her to food assistance during postpartum recovery.
“This is whole-person healthcare,” Saunders explained. “And it’s built for those historically left out.”
In a moment when many states are retracting care, California is expanding. It is doing so not just through legislation or budget lines, but through dignity—affirming that every parent deserves safety, support, and sovereignty during birth. The challenge now is making sure that message reaches the families who need it most.
“We rely on you,” Saunders told the ethnic media. “You are our bridge to the community. Help us let people know: you are seen, you are supported, and you have options.”
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