Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition
Healthy Start
Healthy Start is a free, non-income based program of services, provided in partnership with the Monroe County Health Department, intended to help women and their families bring healthy babies into our community.
All women are eligible to participate if they are at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes. Access to services begins with a prenatal screen completed at a woman's first obstetrical doctor's appointment after learning she is pregnant. Infants are also screened at birth to identify possible factors that could impact a baby's health or development in the first year of life.
Services available to reduce risks may include care coordination, childbirth and/or parenting education, breastfeeding assistance, smoking cessation, nutritional guidance, psychosocial referrals, and help to gain access to prenatal and/or infant care. We also offer a breast pump loan program.
Please contact the Healthy Start Program Coordinator or call 305-676-3841.
Why Healthy Start Matters:
Through the Coalition's partnership with the Florida Department of Health - Monroe County, Healthy Start and CONNECT: Coordinated Intake and Referral programs facilitated screening and assessment of 781 pregnant women and infants in 2020-2021 to identify potential risks for poor birth outcomes and developmental delays. Intake staff assessed 552 clients and referred them to community partners to include enrollment in Healthy Start intervention services. 323 women and infants were enrolled in Healthy Start and received 12,486 units of services representing 4,404 individual intervention events.
Vitamin Angels supports Healthy Start by providing daily prenatal vitamins and minerals to pregnant mothers to help ensure healthy pregnancies and positive birth outcomes.