HRSA's locator finds California's 175+ Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) like Venice Family Clinic, La Clinica de la Raza, and the San Ysidro Health Center, providing sliding-scale primary care to anyone regardless of insurance. FQHCs are required to serve patients on a sliding scale—often as low as $5-
5 per visit for low-income California mothers without coverage. Many sites also offer dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy on-site.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Planned Parenthood Federation of America's national site provides information about reproductive health, contraception, abortion, and gender-affirming care, with locator tools for the organization's 115+ California health centers. Mothers can use the digital health platform to request birth control by mail in California, schedule abortion telehealth appointments where applicable, and access the chat function for confidential sexual health questions.
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OWH at HHS operates the 1-800-994-9662 helpline (M-F 9-6 ET) and womenshealth.gov with comprehensive information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, heart disease, and women-specific cancers. California-relevant content includes the Bright Pink hereditary cancer toolkit and the breastfeeding workplace rights summary—useful since California has some of the strongest lactation accommodation laws in the country.
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CDC Women's Health publishes evidence-based guidance on cancer screening intervals, immunization schedules including HPV vaccine, heart-disease risk reduction, and maternal mortality—the last especially relevant given California's national leadership in reducing maternal deaths. Mothers can use CDC resources to advocate for evidence-based care at California hospitals and clinics where outdated practice patterns sometimes persist.
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Susan G. Komen runs the 1-877-GO-KOMEN helpline staffed by oncology social workers who help California women find low- or no-cost mammograms (often through Komen-funded grants to California FQHCs), navigate the Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts (California's free breast and cervical cancer screening program), and access financial assistance for treatment. Local affiliates serve LA, Orange, San Diego, and Bay Area counties.
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ACS at 1-800-227-2345 provides 24/7 cancer information and connects California patients to free transportation through Road to Recovery, free lodging at the Sacramento and LA Hope Lodges during distant treatment, and oncology nurse navigators. ACS also publishes screening guidelines and California-specific cancer statistics from the CA Cancer Registry, useful for understanding regional patterns and prevention priorities.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
March of Dimes works to improve maternal and infant health through research, advocacy, and NICU support including the California chapter's Family Support Program in major NICUs. The Mom & Baby COVID-19 Intervention and Support Fund helped California mothers during the pandemic, and ongoing programs include support groups for grieving mothers, education on prematurity prevention, and advocacy for California's strongest-in-nation paid family leave.
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NBWHI advances the health of Black women through research, advocacy, and education, with particular focus on the maternal mortality crisis disproportionately affecting Black California mothers (California is among the lower-disparity states but still sees gaps). Programs include the Change Your Lifestyle, Change Your Life diabetes prevention curriculum and policy advocacy on California's Momnibus implementation.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Frequently Asked
- How many healthcare resources are in California?
- Women's Corner tracks 15 healthcare resources for women in California.
- Are healthcare resources in California free?
- 14 of the 15 listed healthcare resources in California are explicitly free or low-cost.
- Which cities in California have healthcare resources?
- Listings span cities including Stanford, Sacramento.
- What are some examples of healthcare resources in California?
- Featured entries include Medi-Cal (California Medicaid), Covered California, Planned Parenthood of California, California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, California Department of Public Health.
- Do these listings include phone numbers?
- 4 of 15 California healthcare listings include phone numbers.
- What if I don't have insurance?
- Apply for Medicaid at Healthcare.gov or your state Medicaid office — pregnant women, parents, and low-income adults qualify in expansion states. While waiting, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) charge sliding-scale based on income for full primary, dental, mental health, and women's health care. Find one at FindAHealthCenter.hrsa.gov.
- Where do I get free women's health care?
- Planned Parenthood and FQHCs provide free or sliding-scale Pap smears, mammogram referrals, birth control, STI testing, and prenatal care. The CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program funds free screenings in every state — call 1-800-CDC-INFO. Title X clinics offer confidential family planning regardless of income or insurance.
- What if I'm pregnant and uninsured?
- Apply for pregnancy Medicaid immediately at your state Medicaid office or Healthcare.gov — pregnant women have higher income limits than regular Medicaid (up to 200% FPL in most states) and coverage starts retroactively. WIC enrollment also opens additional referrals. Most states have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months after birth.
- Can I get free birth control?
- Yes. Most insurance (including Medicaid) covers all FDA-approved birth control at $0 under the ACA. Without insurance, Title X clinics and Planned Parenthood provide free or sliding-scale contraception including IUDs, implants, pills, and emergency contraception. Bedsider.org's clinic finder shows free/low-cost options near you.