Healthy Start

For more than 20 years, Healthy Start programs have assisted pregnant women, inter-conception women, infants, and children up to age three years old to obtain the health care and social support needed to reduce the risks for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Healthy Start promotes optimal prenatal health and developmental outcomes for all pregnant women and babies in Florida. Healthy Start is a free program that provides screenings for pregnant women and infants to identify those at risk of low birth weight, poor prenatal health, and child abuse and neglect. The fundamental goals of the Healthy Start Program are to reduce infant mortality, reduce the number of low birth weight babies and improve health and developmental outcomes. The program provides a holistic approach to maternal and child health. Healthy Start also works with other community agencies to provide wrap around services.

Healthy Start programs offer universal risk screenings for all Florida pregnant women and infants to ensure early care is directed to those families where there is the best chance of preventing or minimizing adverse outcomes. Services provided are client-centered, risk-based, voluntary and free with no waiting lists. Initial risks are determined by the prenatal or infant Healthy Start screen completed by the medical provider.

• Breastfeeding
• Childbirth education – Florida Outreach Childbirth Education Program (FOCEP)
• Smoking cessation
• Interconceptional education

It’s never too late or too early to receive a screening for Healthy Start services.  You can ask your obstetrician or health care provider at your initial visit upon learning of your pregnancy or you can ask your nurse for a Healthy Start Postnatal Infant Screening before you go home from the hospital.

Healthy Start is a free program offered in the state of Florida. It is available to all pregnant women and families with babies up to age 3.  Kids Central has 3 Healthy Start contracts in Alachua, Hernando and Lake Counties. Kids Central’s Healthy Start programs are the first Healthy Start programs to be accredited by the Council of Accreditation (COA). If you have questions or would like a screening, please contact a Healthy Start location.