MHN Town Hall
Maternal Health Policy Brief
Thursday, June 18, 2026
10:00AM - 1:00PM
Fontana, CA
Remarks from Senator Sabrina Cervantes on Maternal Health
Thank you for joining us in-person for a Town Hall on Thursday, June 18 from 10:00am - 1:00pm (PT). The MHN Town Hall provided a platform for engagement, where healthcare providers, community stakeholders, and policymakers gathered to examine local and statewide policy efforts shaping maternal and infant health across San Bernardino County. This Town Hall highlighted current developments influencing the maternal health system of care concerning mental health, midwifery, doula care, safe sleep assessment, as well as hospital policy and patient rights. It featured local strategies to improve perinatal health outcomes as informed by existing and emerging legislation.
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Learning Objectives
At the end of the MHN Town Hall, participants were be able to:
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List key existing and emerging California policies impacting maternal mental health care access and identify strategies to support their implementation in local practice.
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List key existing and emerging California policies impacting midwifery and analyze how they aim to influence the midwifery scope of practice, midwifery workforce expansion, and access to midwifery care.
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Describe historical efforts to establish doula policy in California and identify opportunities to support the continued integration of and collaboration with doulas within maternal health systems.
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Apply strategies to promote safe sleep with families to increase equitable, evidence-based care and education during and beyond the third trimester.
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Identify key hospital policies and patient rights, and analyze how they influence patient experiences and the delivery of equitable care during the perinatal period.
Maternal Health Briefs & Presenters
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Local & National Maternal Health Landscape
Dr. Sayida Peprah-Wilson • MHN Program Director
Diversity Uplifts, Inc.
Presenter Bio
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Midwifery Policy Updates
Leslie McFarlane, CLEC,PMH-C, CBE, SM • Executive Director
Around Birth Collective
Presenter Bio
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Local Safe Sleep Initiative
Monique Amis • Chief, Community and Family Health Division, MCAH
San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
Presenter Bio
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Maternal Mental Health Policy Updates
Cassie Manjikian, MPH • Founding Director
California Perinatal Wellness Alliance (CPWA)
Presenter Bio
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Integration & Collaboration with Doulas
Chantel Runnels, MBA, CD (DONA), CLES • Director of Operations & CEO
Sankofa Birthworkers Collective and The Chaun Collective
Presenter Bio
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Hospital Policies & Patient Rights
Dr. Sayida Peprah-Wilson • MHN Program Director
Diversity Uplifts, Inc.
Presenter Bio
Resources & Handouts
Click on the links below to view the resources.
CA Surgeon General's One Small Thing Campaign
“One Small Thing” is a community-driven initiative that encourages everyone to support a new mom through one meaningful act of care. Simple, everyday gestures, such as delivering a nutritious meal, babysitting for an hour, doing laundry or simply checking in, can make a difference in a new mom’s life by reducing postpartum isolation, providing comfort, and connecting moms to the support and medical care they may need.
Thank You to Our Host!
Thank you to Martha Valencia, Community Health Manager, and the entire team at Kaiser Permanente Fontana for opening up their site to host this Town Hall!
Continuing Education
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The MHN was sponsored by MMHN to offer 2 continuing education (CE) credits for mental health professionals.
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The MHN was sponsored by the Inland Empire Breastfeeding Coalition (IEBfC) to offer 2 Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERP) and Continuing Education (CE) units for nurses.
Thank you to our Continuing Education co-hosts!
