Protecting Healthy Start

We all win when kids get the care they need. And that begins with ensuring that pregnant women get the care they need to deliver strong, healthy babies and that those newborns can depend on quality, reliable care to keep them healthy. Investing in healthy moms and newborns keeps working parents on the job and helps our health care system to avoid the high cost of hospital intensive care.

Healthy Start, passed by a Democratic Congress and enacted by a Republican President in 1991, seeks to reduce infant mortality and improve early childhood in communities plagued by high rates of infant mortality. And the program’s track record of results has earned continuing bipartisan support.

Healthy Start projects have been successful at reducing infant mortality, reducing low birthweight, improving prenatal care, and reducing barriers to health care for pregnant women and newborns. And because every Healthy Start site develops a consortium of neighborhood residents, parents, medical providers, social service agencies, faith representatives and business leaders, Healthy Start engages the whole community in helping children to survive and succeed.

But real challenges remain. The U.S. infant mortality rate increased in 2002 for the fist time since 1958. The infant mortality rate in 2002 ranked the United States 28th among industrialized nations. With fewer than 100 sites nationwide*, Healthy Start resources are already stretched thin, and at current funding levels, as many as four Healthy Start sites may have to close in 2007.
First Focus’ Position

America’s Promise has found that ensuring a healthy start is one of five critical promises we must make to help our children find success. To keep that promise, First Focus urges Congress to take the following necessary steps in 2007:

Close the Funding Gap. Healthy Start should have the resources necessary to maintain current services and reach more pregnant women and newborns nationwide.

Reauthorize Healthy Start. Congress has allowed Healthy Start’s program authorization to lapse and should advance legislation in 2007 to extend and strengthen the program.

During the 110th Congress, First Focus will promote a bipartisan debate and offer ideas to maintain Healthy Start as an effective program addressing a critical need facing American children and families.