Private groups say the true figure is more than 700.

A few days ago, I would have thought no private group could ever do such things.

But with only a few years' experience behind them, private groups never stood a chance.

"We could not have done it without the private groups."

It is the only private group to have its jobs set out by international law.

Both the government and private groups are looking for answers.

"Our public funds are able to go further with the help of the private groups that get involved," she said.

A number of private groups have come to the same conclusion.

State officials here and private groups are trying to bring health coverage to more than a million California children who now go without it.

But representatives of some private environmental groups said the agency had taken too much time.