Catholic Campaign for Human Development Awards $2.5 Million to Birth Choice Health Clinics

ALISO VIEJO, CA--(Marketwired - Jul 8, 2014) - Birth Choice Health Clinics -- a California-based network of medically licensed, life-affirming health clinics offering free community health care and patient education programs -- today announced the receipt of a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) for $2.5 million over a five-year period. The CCHD is a subcommittee within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The Conference is organized as a corporation in the District of Columbia, with purposes under civil law "to unify, coordinate, encourage, promote and carry on Catholic activities in the United States; to organize and conduct religious, charitable and social welfare work at home and abroad; to aid in education; to care for immigrants; and generally to enter into and promote by education, publication and direction the objects of its being." 

The CCHD chose to allocate Birth Choice with these funds in support of its planned expansion for accomplishing the following: a) launch a national pro-life, faith-based business model of full-service licensed medical clinics under a new brand to compete against abortion providers for the lives of women and babies; b) provide impoverished or marginalized women and men the tools and support they need to take control of their lives and strengthen their families; and c) assist BCHC to create an effective social media program to counteract the hyper-sexualization of American youth culture promoted by ideology-driven abortion advocates and clinics.

"In a sexual health environment that largely favors pro-choice and pro-abortion values, Birth Choice offers a unique message that promotes strong families, a healthy youth population and the value of all human life," says Kathleen Eaton Bravo, founder and CEO of Birth Choice Health Clinics. "Thanks to the support of the CCHD, Birth Choice will be able to serve more people and extend our compassionate service model to even more women and men in need of high-quality care -- regardless of their ability to pay, their creed, race, sexual orientation, national origin or age."

Birth Choice has emerged as a powerhouse business entity with a practical, real-world model for successful expansion -- with plans for a first-of-its-kind effort in the pro-life realm. Its success over the last 33 years is rooted in the principle that it is not enough to simply have a heart to serve, but that good intentions must be supported by proven, sustainable business practices in order to be effective and lasting. Birth Choice's model delivers this winning combination with five fully licensed health care clinics. Since converting from pregnancy resource centers to licensed medical clinics in 2007, Birth Choice has served more than 75,000 young people and has saved over 5,700 babies from abortion.

"When it comes to saving lives and battling social injustice, Birth Choice is well-poised and uniquely positioned for growth," adds Bravo. "This grant has enabled us to set-in-motion plans to create a strong, unified voice for the pro-life movement and expand with new clinics up and down California."

Birth Choice has locations in Mission Viejo, Orange, Santa Ana and Long Beach, Calif., along with a traveling mobile clinic. The organization is currently researching the possibility of expanding its Orange County footprint in Placentia, Costa Mesa and Los Alamitos. The organization will soon launch its California Initiative to unify centers across the state under one new brand with a resounding message of life and family values.

For more information on Birth Choice services and clinic locations, please visit www.birthchoice.com. To learn more about Birth Choice Health Clinics' expansion initiative, visit www.bchcdonor.org/help; and for information regarding supporting the cause via financial donations, visit www.bchcdonor.org.

ABOUT BIRTH CHOICE HEALTH CLINICS: Founded in 1981, and headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Birth Choice Health Clinics (BCHC) -- a 501(c)(3) non-profit, fully-licensed community health care clinic -- offers free pregnancy-related medical services and STD testing in Long Beach, Mission Viejo, Orange, Santa Ana and a mobile unit, with current plans to grow by opening 20 new clinics throughout California. BCHC's services include pregnancy care, pre-natal care, STD testing/treatment, ultrasound, well-woman care, breast and cervical cancer screening, PAP smear testing, HIV/AIDS testing, primary care through its partnership clinics and referrals to community resources and health education to low-income and underserved individuals in the community. These services are provided in a compassionate and non-judgmental manner to all women and men in need of high-quality care regardless of their ability to pay, creed, race, sexual orientation, national origin or age. Soon, the brand will unveil a collaborative medical model to grow its long-established, locally-based footprint, expand its reach and begin caring for those throughout California without access to life-affirming sexual health care. For more information, visit www.birthchoice.com and www.bchcdonor.org.