Florida Department of Health in Calhoun County’s (DOH-Calhoun) Healthy Start program provides services to women who are pregnant and children birth up to three years old.
Any mom can have a condition that would put her baby at risk for being born too soon or too small. When you answer a few questions on the Healthy Start Risk Screen at your first prenatal visit and at the hospital when your baby is born, you give your baby a better chance at a healthy start. When you say yes to Healthy Start, services can be provided to you in the comfort of your own home, at the Healthy Start program office in your county, or at another place of your choosing. You may qualify for services from Healthy Start no matter what your income level is. Participation is voluntary and you can stop services whenever you want.
Services include:
- Home or office visits
- Breastfeeding education and support
- Childbirth education
- Parenting education and support
- Nutritional guidance
- Info on choosing child care
- Father services
- Help to quit smoking
- Transportation info
- Psychosocial counseling
- Linkage to community resources
All women should be screened for Healthy Start services at their first doctor’s visit, and if they are not, they should request a screening. If a woman qualifies, the program can help improve the quality of her pregnancy and help her enjoy and celebrate this special time in her life.