Healthy Start 

Healthy Start

Healthy Start legislation provides the administration of the Florida Prenatal and Infant Screen to all of Florida’s pregnant women and infants to identify those at risk for poor birth, health, and developmental outcomes. ALL high-risk pregnant women, regardless of their marital, economic or immigration status, are eligible to participate in Healthy Start including postpartum women and their infants and children up to age three. The goal of Healthy Start is to reduce infant mortality, reduce poor birth outcomes and improve health and developmental outcomes.

Key Components

Implemented April 1, 1992, the key components of Florida’s Healthy Start include:

• • Administer the Florida Prenatal and Infant Screen to identify pregnant women and infants at risk for adverse birth, health, and developmental outcomes.
  • Care coordination and services that support families in reducing the factors and situations that place pregnant women and infants in jeopardy for poor outcomes.

For Professionals

The Healthy Start methods of outreach for services include client identification, public and private provider recruitment and community education. Outreach is approached systematically in a family-centered, community-based manner in order to promote improved pregnancy and infant health outcomes.

For Families

Referring to Healthy Start

Below is the required documentation for submission:

• • Referring Agency Information
  • Clients Demographic Information
  • Reason for the Referral in Additional Comments
  • Obtain Client’s Verbal Consent