National Healthy Start Association Membership
Information and
Association Newsletter
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!
Enter your request for membership information on the form at the bottom of this
page or click the button at the bottom this page to the web page to access a downloadable
PDF contribution form.
Getting Off to a Health Start
Getting Off to a Healthy Start, the Association's newsletter, is published for
the purpose of increasing the sense of family among Healthy Start projects, to
inform Healthy Start staff and others about community-based approaches to maternal
and child health, and to highlight research and evaluation findings in the field.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR THE NEWSLETTER
The National Healthy Start Association encourages members to submit articles that exemplify their experiences
with a difficult challenge, a unique program, an unexpected triumph or a personal
success story about a Healthy Start client. We publish four newsletters per year.
The National Healthy Start Association anticipates selecting one (1) article from those submitted for each issue.
National Healthy Start Association Members
are welcome to submit articles to the National Healthy Start Association to be considered for inclusion
in the Association's quarterly newsletter, Getting off to a Healthy Start.
Submissions
should be made electronically, by attaching the article to an email sent to
the attention of Kemia Duncan, at kduncan@nationalhealthystart.org.
Articles should
be no more than 500 words in length.
Submissions
should be of interest to the larger Healthy Start community and fit within
the program areas of the Healthy Start model.
All submissions
should be accompanied by a cover message, with complete contact information.
Submission deadlines
are February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1.
The National Healthy Start Association reserves
the right to edit any submissions for clarity and length.
The National Healthy Start Association also
reserves the rights to (a) decline to accept or publish a submission or (b)
to publish a submission at a later date.
For
a complimentary copy of the newsletter, enter your name and mailing address
on the form at the bottom of this page; or click the button at the bottom this
page to access the web page with downloadable PDF version files of Getting Off
to a Healthy Start.
Call us at: (202) 296-2195 for dues information.
Print this form and send it to the National Healthy Start Association:
Select print from the file menu and send requests for sample newsletter to the
National Healthy Start Association by fax or postal mail.
Fax the form to: (202) 296-2197
Send the form by postal mail to:
National Healthy Start Association, Inc.
1220 19th Street, NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036-2435
Subject: Healthy Start Online Form
Your full name:
Address (fill in for newsletter only):
Address (continued):
City, State, Zip:
e-mail address (optional):
Write any requests, questions or comments below:
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
E-mail: kduncan@nationalhealthystart.org
Thanks for visiting the National Healthy Start Association online at:
www.healthystartassoc.org