ALISO VIEJO, CA--(Marketwired - Oct 27, 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 its partnership with the Lestonnac Free Clinic in Orange and the Hurtt Family Health Clinic in Santa Ana to offer patients access to primary care services beyond the scope of Birth Choice's sexual health care and education. As renowned Orange County primary care clinics -- which both share Birth Choice's life-affirming values -- each location will now have the ability to refer patients directly and fluidly to any of Birth Choice's five fully-licensed clinics.

"This medical collaboration model, which joins like-minded clinics, is a revolutionary development in the business of health care," says Kathleen Eaton Bravo, founder and CEO of Birth Choice Health Clinics. "Not only do these treasured partnerships save Birth Choice crucial funding, they also provide our underserved, low-income patients with access to comprehensive and specialized health resources, both for themselves and their families."

In Orange, the Lestonnac Free Clinic is attached to Birth Choice's existing community health care clinic, allowing the organizations to refer patients in need from one to the other since 2010. When patients visiting Birth Choice have primary care needs beyond sexual health services and education, Birth Choice finds solace in sending them next door to Lestonnac. Equally, when patients visiting Lestonnac require STD testing, pre-natal care or well-women care, Birth Choice can lend a hand in their treatment. As a result of this cooperation of services, both clinics and patients benefit from these referrals, each clinic knowing that the other will uphold the dignity of all human life.

"The relationship between Lestonnac Free Clinic and Birth Choice illustrates what is possible as a result of solid partnerships, innovative collaborations and a patient-centered approach to providing health care services," says Ed Gerber, executive director of Lestonnac.

As the clinical arm of the Orange County Rescue Mission, the Hurtt Family Health Clinic first began its partnership with Birth Choice in 2013. Each week, Birth Choice operates out of its Santa Ana clinic for two days to provide patients access to free-of-charge sexual health services they may not have otherwise known were available to them. Similarly, this relationship allows Birth Choice the ability to refer its visiting patients directly to Hurtt Family clinicians, as primary care providers. The Hurtt Family Clinic also provides solace for Birth Choice patients in need of food and housing assistance through the rescue mission's shelters.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Birth Choice, an organization that is so closely aligned with our own mission to bring hope, respect and dignity to all of our patients," says Jewel Loff, chief healthcare officer of Hurtt Family Health Clinic. "This collaboration will give our patients many new and wonderful options for their healthcare, and expand our reach to serve the poor and underserved of our communities."

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.