Children's Hospital Bond Act

California voters approved Proposition 61, the Children's Hospital Bond Act, in the November 2004 election with a 58.1 percent "yes" vote. It created the Children's Hospital Fund that provided $742 million in bonds (plus $8 million for administration) to remodel, build, renovate, expand and equip children's hospitals.

Hospitals That Qualified

• Thirteen children's hospitals qualified for bond funds, including five with the University of California that can ask for up to $30 million each, and eight private nonprofits that can ask for up to $74 million each.

  In the first 2 1/2 years after voter approval, the California Health Facilities Financing Authority awarded $306 in grants. Money is available until June 30, 2014 or until money runs out, whichever comes first.

Hospital Eligibility

• Hospitals applying for grants had to provide teaching, research, clinical care and advocacy for children, have at least 160 licensed children and infants beds and provide "comprehensive services" to a large number of children on government programs.

  They also had to provide more than 30,000 days of patient care to children in one year and train at least eight pediatric specialist or subspecialist residents.

Grant Evaluation

• Grants were evaluated on whether the proposals expanded or improved health care access for uninsured, under-served or indigent children and those eligible for government programs.

  Other factors were whether the proposal contributed to improving health care results, provided services to vulnerable pediatric patients and were feasible and ready to go.