Healthy Start

Women who received well- woman preventive health care visits Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2020-2021 Women who were screened for interpersonal violence Source: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2016-2019 Women who were screened for depression Source: PRAMS 2018 Pregnant women who received early prenatal care Source: CDC, National Vital Statisti [...] 1, Jan 2023 HEALTHY START The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) Healthy Start (HS) program invests in communities to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy. [...] Local HS projects tailor services to the needs of their communities to help reduce racial and ethnic differences in rates of infant death and maternal health outcomes. Funding goes to communities experiencing high rates of adverse outcomes, including: • infant mortality rates at least 1.5x the U. S. [...] national average, or • high rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal illness. The HS program began in 1991 as a demonstration, providing funding for 15 HS projects. As of 2024, there are 115 projects providing services in 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. [...] POPULATIONS SERVED AND SERVICES PROVIDED Local HS projects enroll women of reproductive age, pregnant people, new parents, children from birth to 18 months, and fathers/partners. The HS program served about 85,000 participants in 2022. [...] Local projects provide: • Outreach and case management to link parents with social services and educational programming such as parent skill building • Prenatal and postpartum care, screening, and referral to services for depression and interpersonal violence • Public health services such as health education • Continuing education and training on best practices for HS staff and community part [...] APNs are former Healthy Start participants who have experienced these challenges themselves. They help current Healthy Start families by providing guidance and information about public benefits like Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP. [...] APNs also address issues such as food insecurity, unstable housing, and lack of transportation, offering support that respects the family’s culture. [...] Six sites are providing these navigator services. OUR HEALTHY START INVESTMENT STATES SERVED AND AWARDEE LOCATIONS Programs Employ clinical professionals , social workers, case managers, lactation consultants, nutritionists, doulas , community health workers, and translators *The shading of a state indicates that HS services are provided within the state; however, this does not imply that servi