Healthy Start Program

What is the Healthy Start program?
Healthy Start is a statewide non-profit program that provides at-risk pregnant women and infants with the resources, support and help they need to have good health outcomes. The program is voluntary and availible to all Florida residents free of charge.

What is the purpose of the Healthy Start risk screen?
The purpose of the risk screen is to determine if there is something about your health, current living situation, or daily activities that could cause problems for you or your baby.

How does Healthy Start make a difference?
The goal of Healthy Start is to reduce infant deaths, reduce the number of low birth weight and premature babies and improve health and developmental outcomes. Healthy Start services can help you have a healthy baby!

What services does Healthy Start provide?
Healthy Start provides care coordination, childbirth education, breastfeeding support, parenting classes, mental healthy counseling, nutritional counseling, assistance to quit smoking and interconceptional counseling and education.

What if I don’t need services? Should I still complete a Risk Screen?
Even if you don’t need help or want to use Healthy Start services, answering the questions on the screen assists in obtaining the information and funding necessary to improve the health care system for ALL moms and babies in Florida!

MomCare Program

What is MomCare?
MomCare will help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
It is sponsored by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).

How will it help you?
When you find out that you are pregnant, you may have these questions:

• What do I do?
• Where do I go?
• How do I get help?
• Who do I talk to if I have a problem?

How does it work?
MomCare helps you get answers to your questions. A caring Maternity
Care Advisor (MCA) will be assigned to you. Your MCA will assist you
in getting medical care and services such as WIC, childbirth, parenting
and breastfeeding classes or counseling.

How will your Maternity Care Advisor (MCA) help you?

• Explain MomCare
• Help you find a doctor or midwife
• Tell you about the Healthy Start Program
• Help you get into the WIC (Women, Infants and Children)
  Program
• Call to see how you are doing
• Help you find a doctor for your baby
• Help you get other prenatal services like classes, counseling
• Help if you have special needs
  

Choosing a Doctor or Midwife
It is important for you to contact the MomCare Program and provide
the name of your doctor or midwife. Please contact your MCA as soon
as possible. If you have not already chosen your doctor or midwife,
your MCA will help you find one close to your home. It is important
for you to make this decision soon because early prenatal care helps
to reduce pregnancy complications. If you do not contact your MCA
within 30 days, the MomCare Program will choose a doctor or
midwife for you that is within a 30-minute drive from your home. We
look forward to helping you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy
baby.

HealthConnect In The Early Years Program

What is HealthConnect in The Early Years  Program?

• The HealthConnect in The Early Years is a voluntary home visitation program focusing on health promotion, education, and support.  The program will improve maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, infant and toddler health and development for teen and first time mothers regardless of their risk level, socioeconomic status, or geographic location in Miami-Dade County.
• Families are encouraged to enroll prenatally and stay with the program for three years in order to obtain the information and guidance they need to promote better health for their children.
• Program staff conduct visits at parents’  most convenient schedule rather than on staff or organizational schedule and will be available for support and helpful information when requested.

What is a Family Coach?
A Family Coach (FC) is a health professional who has knowledge of local health and human service providers among other skills.  visit and communicate with the family on a regular basis. Family Coaches conduct home visitations and help guide expectant teen and first time moms, infants and toddlers to the quality health care they require. 

The FC help provide the following services:

• Built a trusting relationship with the family
• Provide parents with education and information on different important topics such as:

1. Nutrition and health
2. Child development
3. Discipline
4. Safety
5. Breastfeeding
6. Smoking cessation

• Help link the family to a medical provider and other social services if needed
• Encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s development
• Help parents achieve their own personal goals

What are the Eligibility Requirements?
The HealthConnect in The Early Years program serves pregnant teens, first time moms, and other mothers who have a child from 0 to 3 years of age who request services regardless of their risk level, socioeconomic status, or geographic location in Miami-Dade County.

How do I Apply?
Contact the HealthConnect in The Early Years Program by calling (305) 646-6868 and ask to be enrolled in Program.