Black Health Profile
Black health in California
2,218,283
Black residents (ACS)
5.60%
Of state population
California has 2.2 million Black residents and a Black maternal mortality rate less than half of the worst-performing states — a result widely attributed to the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), which pioneered standardized hemorrhage and preeclampsia protocols, and to the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act (SB-464, 2019), which mandates implicit-bias training for perinatal health workers.
The largest remaining Black health disparity in California is in breast cancer mortality, which runs roughly 1.5× the white rate despite lower diagnosis rates. The California Cancer Registry publishes county-level race-stratified breakdowns annually.
Medi-Cal began covering doula services as a preventive benefit in 2023; the state's Black Infant Health program is now in 15 counties; and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles continues to graduate a higher share of Black physicians than any California medical school.
Key takeaways
- Black residents: 2,218,283 (5.6% of the state).
- Medicaid expansion adopted.
- Medicaid covers doula services.
- Certified nurse-midwife scope-of-practice recognized by Medicaid.
- 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension active.
Health outcomes & coverage
Ten race-stratified indicators drawn from CDC, Census, KFF, and SAMHSA primary sources. Each page links the underlying dataset, compares to the national average, and frames the state-specific drivers and policy levers.
maternal mortality
Black women in California die from pregnancy-related causes at 22.4 per 100,000 live births — 1.2× the US national rate of 19.
Read the maternal mortality breakdown
infant mortality
Black infants in California die before age one at 8.1 per 1,000 live births — compared to the US all-race rate of 5.4.
Read the infant mortality breakdown
cardiovascular mortality
Age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality among Black residents of California: 305.8 deaths per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 I00-I99).
Read the cardiovascular mortality breakdown
diabetes prevalence
13.2% of Black adults in California have been diagnosed with diabetes — compared to the US all-race rate of 11.6%.
Read the diabetes prevalence breakdown
breast cancer mortality
Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality among Black women in California: 24.9 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C50).
Read the breast cancer mortality breakdown
prostate cancer mortality
Age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality among Black men in California: 32.1 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C61).
Read the prostate cancer mortality breakdown
life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth for Black residents of California: 75.1 years (US all-race: 77.5).
Read the life expectancy breakdown
uninsured rate
7.2% of Black residents of California have no health insurance coverage — vs. a US all-race uninsured rate of 8%.
Read the uninsured rate breakdown
Medicaid coverage
About 38% of Black residents of California receive Medicaid coverage. California is a Medicaid expansion state.
Read the Medicaid coverage breakdown
mental health access
54.8% of Black adults in California who experienced a past-year mental health need reported not receiving the treatment they needed (SAMHSA…
Read the mental health access breakdown
Policy context in California
California has adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid covers doula services in this state. Postpartum Medicaid coverage extends for 12 months after delivery, the federal recommended standard.
California adopted Medicaid expansion in 2014. SB-65 (2021) established the California Momnibus Act, an omnibus maternal health law covering doula access, midwifery expansion, perinatal mental-health screening, and maternal mortality review. Medi-Cal has covered 12-month postpartum since 2022 and doula services since 2023 (AB-2176, SB-65).
Find Black health providers & resources in California
Counties in California
County-level Black Health profiles for the 2 California counties with the fullest race-stratified data and editorial coverage.
Data sources & refresh cadence
- US Census ACS 5-year 2019–2023, Table B02001 (race) & S1903 (income).
- CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death (D69) & Underlying Cause of Death (D76), 2018–2022 release.
- KFF Medicaid expansion and state coverage trackers, Q1 2026.
- SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2022 state annual.
- HRSA NHSC workforce data, 2024.
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