The goal of the program is to lower risk factors associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, infant mortality and poor developmental outcomes. Florida’s Healthy Start initiative was signed into law on June 4, 1991.
Healthy Start offers
- Home visitation
- Prenatal and parenting education
- Interconception education including reproductive planning
- Stress management education
- Care coordination to help families learn about resources available in the community and assistance in accessing those services
Resources for Providers
Healthy Start Standards and Guidance
Healthy Start Standards and Guidelines are intended to guide implementation of Healthy Start. Healthy Start coalitions and providers are accountable for delivering services in compliance with these standards as outlined in administrative rules in the Florida Administrative Code.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Healthy Start System
Chapter 2: Information Security Requirements
Chapter 3: Prenatal and Infant Risk Screening
Chapter 4: Coordinated Intake and Referral
Chapter 5: Healthy Start Initial Assessment
Chapter 6: Healthy Start Program
Chapter 7: Healthy Start Services Prenatal Education
Chapter 8: Healthy Start Services Parenting Education and Support
Chapter 9: Healthy Start Services Interconception Education and Counseling
Chapter 10: Healthy Start Services Stress Management Education
Chapter 11: Healthy Start Services Care Coordination
Chapter 12: Substance Abusing Pregnant Women, Substance Exposed Children and Their Families
Chapter 13: Perinatal Depression Screening
Chapter 14: Intimate Partner Violence Screening
Chapter 15: Substance Use Screening
Chapter 16: Tobacco Use Screening
Chapter 17: Child Development Screening
Chapter 18: Healthy Start Services Breastfeeding Education and Support
Chapter 19: Healthy Start Services Childbirth Education
Chapter 20: Healthy Start Services Nutrition Counseling
Chapter 21: Healthy Start Services Psychosocial Counseling
Chapter 22: Healthy Start Services Tobacco Education and Cessation Counseling
Chapter 23: Healthy Start Coding
Chapter 24: Healthy Start Board of Directors
Chapter 25: Fiscal Accounability
Chapter 26: Community Involvement
Chapter 27: Outreach – Participant Identification, Provider Recruitment, and Community Education
Chapter 28: Healthy Start System Assurances
Chapter 29: Performance Based Contracts and Memoranda of Agreement
Chapter 30: Quality Management / Program Improvement
Chapter 31: Transition and Interagency Agreements
Appendix: Standards and Guidelines
Appendix A: Glossary: Terms and Definitions
Appendix B: Abbreviations
Appendix C: Examples of Documenting Assessment Forms
- Healthy Start Encounter Form
- Domestic Violence Screening Form
- Family Support Plan for Single Agency Care Coordination, page 1
- Family Support Plan for Single Agency Care Coordination, page 2
- Prenatal Screen Instructions
- Psychosocial Assessment Form
- Quitline Referral Form
- Client and Family Information Referral Form
- Prenatal Healthy Start Care Coordination Record Review Form
- Infant Healthy Start Care Coordination Record Review Form
- Healthy Start Care Coordination Record Review Summary Form
Appendix D: Prenatal and Infant Risk Matrixes
Appendix E: Confidentiality and Security Statement of Understanding
Appendix F: Other Resources
Documents and Analysis
The following publications provide information about goals, objectives, guidelines, and data about the activities that improve the health of mothers and babies in Florida.
Assessment of the 2019 Florida Infant Risk Screening
Implemented in 2012 Linked to Birth and Postneonatal Death Records
Assessment of the 2018 Florida Current Prenatal Risk Screening
Implemented in 2013 Linked to Birth Records
Assessment of the 2017 Florida Current Prenatal Risk Screening
Implemented in 2013 Linked to Birth Records
Healthy Start Prenatal Screen
Risk scores are compared to rates of low birthweight (< 2,500 grams) births and preterm (< 37 weeks gestational age) birth. It was found that higher risk scores are associated with higher rates of low birthweight and preterm birth.
Healthy Start Infant Screen
Risk scores are compared to rates of postneonatal death (death at age 28-364 days). It was found that higher risk scores are associated with higher rates of post neonatal death.
Summary of Healthy Start Infant Screening: Analysis 2011
Healthy Start Prenatal Screening
Sensitivity and positive rate compared for the revised 2008 versus previous prenatal screening criteria.
Maternal Characteristics of Florida Healthy Start Prenatal Program Participants
Entry into the Healthy Start prenatal program can be based on risk score calculations or by provider/self-referral for factors other than prenatal screen risk score. Referrals that are not based on a calculated risk score are called referrals based on other factors. This is an analysis of maternal characteristics of pregnant women that gain entry into Healthy Start through referrals, and a discussion of the implications of these findings concerning policy development, program planning, and implementation.
Factors Associated with Offer Rates
Healthy Start Prenatal Screen was designed to identify women at risk for delivering a low birth weight or preterm infant. The purpose of this analysis is to categorize women by risk of a low birth weight or preterm delivery and the probability of being offered a Healthy Start prenatal screen. This analysis found that some women who had high risk of a low birth weight or preterm delivery were not the most likely to be offered a Healthy Start prenatal screen.
Evaluation of the Healthy Start Prenatal Screen
Analyzes the association between the risk factors on the Healthy Start prenatal screening instrument, and the outcomes of low birth weight and preterm birth. It compares the results from the 1998 birth cohort to the results of a similar analysis conducted using the 1993 birth cohort. New risk factors were investigated for associations with low birth weight and preterm birth.
Birth Record to Develop a Screening Instrument
Used for infant mortality and morbidity.
Screening Forms and Information
Reporting
The Healthy Start Reports provides prenatal and infant risk screening and service reports to county health departments, Healthy Start coalitions, and Florida Department of Health staff.
Health Management System: Medicaid Insurance
This user guide addresses how to enter Insurance information in the Health Management System.
For a printable presentation that outlines the Healthy Start side of HMS, please click the link below.