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If you have questions or comments contact:

The National Healthy Start Association Inc.
2030 M Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036

Phone: (202) 296-2195

Fax: (202) 296-2197

Email: info@nationalhealthystart.org

Web site: www.healthystartassoc.org

Membership Information

Membership in the National Healthy Start Association is open to all federally funded Healthy Start projects. Other community-based agencies and individuals are welcome to become a friend of Healthy Start by joining the Association, as well.

Become A Friend of Healthy Start!

Since 1991, the Healthy Start Program has been dedicated to reducing the incidence of infant mortality and low birthweight. We are proud of the unique characteristics of this program which are crucial to success.
Healthy Start is:

  • Community Based: Long term results depend on a "buy-in" of local communities that takes time and trust to build.
  • Targeted to the Toughest Populations: Aggressive outreach has proven to be one of the most important tools to reach young women who are pregnant and/or are already mothers, as well as fathers who live in communities with the toughest poverty, drug use and unemployment
  • Labor intensive and personal: A focus on specific individuals in specific communities has resulted in dramatic changes in the lives of those in the program. It is not unusual for program employees to consist of those who have benefited from the program. The most effective case workers relate to those who face the same challanges they faced.
Thanks to the dedicated work of Healthy Start projects, the rate of infant mortality has declined by average of 34% in 18 of the 20 original projects.

In 2001, the National Healthy Start Association was pleased that Congress overwhelmingly voted to move the program from the status of a demonstration project to that of a permanent program authorized under federal law.

Despite its successful track record, Healthy Start's funding was reduced several years ago, and the National Healthy Start Association is dedicated to reversing this trend. In some project areas, infant mortality has begun to rise again because of insufficient funding.

We ask you to join the National Healthy Start Association and work with us to ensure that this program receives the funding needed to serve all eligible communities. What could be more important than reducing infant mortality? Only one-third of the 300 eligible communities currently receive funding. We need you to become a friend of Healthy Start by sending your contribution to National Healthy Start Association today!
For a downloadable contribution form you can print out and mail with your payment, click: fundform.pdf. A Friend of Healthy Start form can also be found in the NHSA's brochure (click here).

If you have difficulty downloading this form, let us know and we will fax you a copy. Contact us at the information on the end of this web page.
If you need to get the Adobe Reader for viewing the PDF form file, it is available online as a free download, (download any version that is compatible with your computer system), click here: Adobe Reader

Links to Related Sites

National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
http://www.ncemch.org


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Health Resources and Services Administration
http://www.hrsa.gov
(click "Overview & Programs" and then the MCHB link)

The Maternal and Child Health Neighborhood
http://mchneighborhood.ichp.edu



The MCH Library: a virtual guide to maternal and child health information. It offers a wide variety of electronic resources, including the MCH Alert, knowledge paths, publications, databases, bibliographies, and other materials developed for health professionals, policymakers, and families.
http://mchlibrary.info


Special needs family friendly fun – enhancing the quality fun of family life with special needs. More information on linking to our website can be found at: http://www.family-friendly-fun.com/familytradelinks.htm

Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents was developed to provide comprehensive health supervision guidelines, including recommendations on immunizations, routine health screenings, and anticipatory guidance.
http://www.brightfutures.aap.org