Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition

Healthy Start health education services are provided to pregnant women at risk of poor birth outcomes or infants at risk of infant mortality in their first year of life. Women receive education and personal support through pregnancy and/or up through the infant's first three years of life. It provides one on one personal support services by care coordinators through home visits, phone contact and referral to community resources. It is a voluntary program funded through a contract between the Coalition and Florida's department of health.

Healthy families is a voluntary home visitation program offered to parents assessed as being at risk. Home visitors teach child development through curricula, goal setting and modeling interactive activities based on "teachable moments." Positive parent/child interaction helps caregivers manage stress and lowers the incidence of child maltreatment. This is a voluntary program and is funded through a contract between the Coalition and the ounce of prevention fund of Florida.

Babies and beyond focuses on touching every mom, baby, and family in Indian River County. The program provides childbirth education, lactation support within the hospital, and nurse home visitation to postpartum moms and babies. The program was designed to increase health literacy, strengthening parenting skills, and ensure that each baby in Indian River County gets the Healthy Start they deserve. Every newborn's family in Indian River County is eligible for services. The provision of services is based on County of residence. The certified lactation counselors (clc's) hospital visit is offered to each woman who delivers her baby at Indian River medical center, and the newborn home visit (nbhv) is offered to every woman who delivers at the hospial and lives in Indian River County. The program's staff is housed at cleveland clinic Indian River hospital and at partners in woman's care. In addition, the program is promoted at all ob/gyn practices in the County. Program information is also made available at pediatrician offices throughout the County, at the local health department, and wic offices. This is a voluntary program and funding is provided by quail valley charities (book and onesies), united way, children's services advisory council and the Indian River County hospital district.