How We Serve Black Families

For decades, Black children were dying at twice the rate of all other ethnic groups in Sacramento County. The Black Child Legacy Campaign (BCLC) was established by the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths in 2015. Since then, Black child deaths have decreased by 27% (2020), surpassing the initial program goal of a 10-20% reduction by 2020.

But there is still work to do.In 2025, the RAACD Steering Committee established a new goal of completely eliminating the disparity gap in child death rates in Sacramento County.

The BCLC model incorporates neighborhood-specific data to understand local challenges, including assessing and responding to the social determinants of health in those areas. We work with trusted community nonprofits to provide wraparound care, intensive case management, educational forums, youth programs, crisis prevention and intervention and more to ensure Black children across Sacramento and California have opportunities for a healthy future.

Our Four Focus Areas for Healthy Children

BCLC’s work addresses the leading causes of child death in Black communities, which can include:

Perinatal Conditions

Medical racism and a systemic lack of access to health care lead to prematurity, low birth weight, placental abruption and congenital infections in babies.

Infant Sleep

Poverty, housing insecurity and an absence of educational resources can result in cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome (SUIDS).

Child Abuse and Neglect

Children are sometimes directly or indirectly put in danger by their primary caregivers, with situations exacerbated by food insecurity, economic uncertainty, substance use and inadequate schooling or community centers.

Third-Party Homicides

Unsafe, overpoliced neighborhoods that have been intentionally excluded from economic opportunities often precipitate youth-on-youth gang violence, drunk driving fatalities and other dangers.

“Black children deserve to dream without limits, not defined by their circumstances, their experiences or their trauma.”

– Jermisha King, BCLC County Partner, Valley Hi

Map of the seven Sacramento neighborhoods served by Black Child Legacy Campaign

Where We Work

Each Sacramento neighborhood has its own Community Incubator Lead (CIL) — a trusted organization that oversees all BCLC activities in that area.

Find support and community in your neighborhood

Our Initiatives

Over the last ten years, BCLC’s evidence-based, community-led interventions have had significant success and shaped a proven model for lasting change.

Kings & Queens Rise

Safe Sleep Baby

Healing the Hood

Our History

The Black Child Legacy Campaign (BCLC) was created in response to the sobering realization that Black children in Sacramento were dying at more than twice the rate of any other ethnicity—and that disparity had existed for more than 20 years.

Members of the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths (RAACD) — Our Steering Committee for Reduction of African American Child Deaths (RAACD)

After a Blue Commission Report studied this disparity, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors in 2015 partnered with The Center at Sierra Health Foundation to create the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths (RAACD)—a community-driven body of dedicated individuals with the shared goal of reducing Black child deaths by 10 to 20% by 2020.

It was through RAACD that BCLC was officially formed in 2015—a collective impact movement uniting local nonprofits to save the lives of Black children with evidence-based, community-led interventions. By leveraging the trust, insights and expertise of these organizations (CILs), BCLC surpassed its goals, reducing overall Black child deaths by a historic 27%. At various points in its history, BCLC has also helped bring juvenile homicides down to zero, initiate safe sleep education across all regional health providers, and close disparity gaps by as much as 96%—such as on the issue of child abuse and neglect.

Now 10 years into its mission, BCLC stands as a proven model for how county, community and philanthropic partnerships can initiate powerful change on otherwise intractable issues—and empower Black children and families towards a healthier future.