Healthy Start was born when Governor Lawton Chiles and the First Lady convened a group of community leaders and challenged them to build local coalitions to reduce Florida's alarmingly high infant mortality rate.

Healthy Start builds on Governor Chiles' experience as chairman of the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality and helps at-risk mothers receive the care they need for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

The Immediate Need: connecting Women…helping babies

Healthy Start provides services and support needed by pregnant women to have a healthy baby today.  Every woman who receives a positive pregnancy test from her health care provider is offered a Healthy Start Risk Screen.  If the screen indicates a risk, a Healthy Start Home Visitor is assigned and offers help.

Some Healthy Start services include:  child birth education, medical and community referrals, emergency housing, emotional support, mental health counseling, breastfeeding support, infant care skills and child development classes, continuing education guidance…just to name a few.  Home Visitors work individually with moms to determine the right support and services to assure a healthy pregnancy, healthy birth and healthy baby.