Regional Perinatal System (RPS)
>> RPPC

RPPC Historical Perspective
The Regional Perinatal Programs of California (RPPC) evolved from the need for comprehensive, cooperative networks of public and private health care providers within geographic areas to promote the well-being of pregnant women and their babies.
Costly duplication of high-tech services, coupled with inequities in the distribution, accessibility and quality of pregnancy care, prompted the California Legislature to seek different approaches to these problems. One such approach was to mandate the development of perinatal regionalization throughout the state and to allocate funds for Regional Perinatal Programs of California.
The RPPC's initial efforts in the early 1980's focused toward matching needs of high-risk patients with the appropriate type of care. Our programs continue to evaluate and address regional needs to remain relevant to the communities they serve.

RPPC Today
The programs are designed to assist the California State Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch (MCH) to ensure that pregnant women and newborns have access to appropriate levels of high quality care, to provide for safe and effective treatment of women and their babies before, during and after delivery, to meet the needs of the infants at risk for neonatal complications and to reduce the incidence of maternal death due to obstetric complications.

The regional programs serve as facilitators in coordinating and supporting perinatal quality improvement within their regions. RPPC staff obtain and disseminate needs assessment and outcome data; consult with individual facilities regarding perinatal programs and services; collaborate with county and state maternal and child health departments, managed care plans, and other perinatal and professional groups and agencies on how best to meet the needs of the perinatal community; develop methods, models and materials for use by perinatal providers; create and support education programs to address the needs of high risk mothers and infants in their regions; represent their regions in regional and state task forces; and work with other perinatal regions and the state to respond to needs identified across the regions.

Perinatal Program Roles
The RPPC promote quality, seamless perinatal systems of care through collaboration and information exchange among services providers, facilities, health plans, as well as State and local MCH programs.

• Perform perinatal assessments of regional and statewide significance.
• Develop community networks and collaboration among agencies, providers, and individuals.
• Provide resource directories and referral services.
• Develop, publish, disseminate and/or provide technical assistance to interpret pertinent perinatal data to assist with program/service planning and evaluation.
• Develop statewide guidelines and tools to promote high quality, risk appropriate perinatal care.
• Develop and administer programs for priority populations such as the California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program, Sweet Success.