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Any mom can have a condition that puts her baby at risk.
This is why all Florida doctors that provide care to pregnant
women encourage every pregnant woman to fill out the Healthy
Start Prenatal Risk Screening form. This screening helps to
identify risk factors that can lead to a baby being born too
early or too small.
Healthy Start offers pregnant women and infant’s services
that promote healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Some of
these services are:
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- Home visits
- Breastfeeding education and support
- Emotional support and stress management
- Childbirth preparation
- Parenting support and education
- Help to stop smoking
- Nutritional guidance
- Interconceptional Care (between Pregnancy care) Referrals
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Acceptance to the Healthy Start program is based on these risk factors not on income.
Once a woman has discovered that she is pregnant, she should fill out the screen at her first prenatal visit.
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Healthy Families Pinellas is a home visiting program that provides parenting
education and supportive services to pregnant women and families with a newborn baby.
Services are delivered in the home by a Family Support Worker who provides parenting
education using the Growing Great Kids parenting curriculum.
The Healthy Families Program is available countywide to any pregnant woman or
family with a newborn who need and want the program. Participants are assisted
to use community services.
 In order to receive services, the family must be enrolled in the program prior to the child turning 3 months old.
Families may receive services up to the child’s fifth birthday.
Healthy Families Pinellas is the largest family support program in the country and
is part of the Healthy Families America network  .
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This specialized program is part of Healthy Families Pinellas and assists pregnant women and infants who have been exposed to alcohol or other drugs.
A nurse visits the newborn in the home within 3 days of the birth.
After the nursing assessment is completed, a family support worker will visit the family weekly.
The Health Department partners with Bayfront Medical Center and Operation PAR, Inc. to provide comprehensive screening and quick access to drug treatment.
Families can stay in this program for five years.
This program is funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board and the Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas.
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 The St. Petersburg Healthy Start Federal Project is part of the national Healthy Start program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The goal of the Healthy Start Project is to reduce the differences that exist in the health of African American women and children. Infant mortality and low birth weight are key areas of concern.
The Project offers additional services to women, children and families living in postal zip codes 33705, 33711, 33712 and 33713.
Additional services include:
- Community awareness events with health screenings and health information
- Nurse case management for black women with chronic health conditions
- "While You Wait Education” - health information provided in clinic waiting rooms
- "Beauty Talk” - training beauty school students to be informal health promoters.
- "What about Mom?” - providing nursing services to new moms bringing their children in for pediatric visits.
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Father Services is a home visiting program that provides parenting education, case management and support to the fathers of Healthy Families and Healthy Start babies and children.
The goal is to increase positive father involvement in the lives of these children. Home visiting assists fathers to enhance employment, education, health or other personal goals.
Through the Maps for Dads parenting curriculum, fathers learn about child development, discipline and childcare. Play groups with the fathers and children teach fatherly play and communication.
Monthly support groups provide opportunities for the fathers to address common concerns, receive information, and develop friendships.
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Our goal is:
- To reduce risk factors that cause babies to be born with very low birth weight
- To reduce risk factors that cause baby deaths
- And to promote safe environments free of child abuse
 Services Provided:
- Home Visiting
- Parenting Education
- Ensure you have a Medical Provider for yourself and your baby
- Help you get services from the community
- Nursing Consultation
- Breastfeeding Education
- Childbirth Education
- Nutrition Counseling and WIC
- Transportation Assistance
- Help to stop smoking
- Help to stop using drugs
- Support Groups for Parents
- Counseling by a Mental Health Counselor
- Screening for depression
- Family Planning
- Immunizations
- Help with finding child day care
- Help with employment and training education
- Lead Counseling
- Father Services
- Interconceptional Care (Health Education and Counseling between Pregnancies)
Resource Manual (English)
Manual de Recursos Healthy Start (Spanish)
Many Thanks to our Funders:
Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas, JWB Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County, the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the Pinellas County Health Department
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St. Petersburg, FL 33701 
We feel every baby deserves a loving family and a healthy start in
life. Together with various organizations, the Pinellas County
Health Department brings support and care to pregnant women,
infants, and their families. What this means is that our programs
support our community and provide education and special programs
to make sure each child receives a 
We offer several programs depending on your needs and support. Our
program focus is to ensure infants, expectant mothers and fathers have
a support system that promotes a happy, healthier, and safer start for
their children and family.
