Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County
  • ABOUT
    • Mission & History
    • Our Team
    • Volunteer Executive Board
    • Annual Reports
    • Client Success Stories
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • PROGRAMS
    • Healthy Start
    • Connect
    • Save My Life
    • MomCare
    • Fetal & Infant Mortality Review
  • COMMUNITY ACTION
    • Addiction Support and Pregnancy (ASAP)
    • Breastfeeding Advocates of Sarasota County
    • Breastfeeding Friendly Sarasota Project
    • Breastfeeding Peer Counselors
    • Clean Start
    • IMPLICIT: Interconception Care Model for Vulnerable Populations in Sarasota County
    • Pump Up Sarasota
    • Safe Sleep Sarasota Initiative
    • Substance Exposed Newborn Prevention & Protection
  • FOR MOMS
    • Can Healthy Start Help You?
    • Breastfeeding Support & Resources
    • Clean Start – Protecting Your Baby from Drugs and Alcohol
    • Family Planning
    • Getting Healthy Before You Get Pregnant
    • Help to Quit Smoking
    • Hurricane & Disaster Preparedness
    • Safe Sleep for Your Baby
    • Text4Baby
    • Think 39 Weeks!
    • Zika and Pregnancy
  • FOR PROVIDERS
    • Prenatal Risk Screen
    • Infant Risk Screen
    • Provider Education & Resources
    • Your Community Liaison
  • EVENTS
    • An Evening for Healthy Start 2023
      13th Annual Fundraiser
    • Past Events
      • 2022 Breakfast of Champions
      • Run Baby Run! 5k
      • An Evening for Healthy Start 2022
      • Fourth Annual Regional Summit 2022
      • Free Virtual Webinar: Multiple Layers of COVID-19 From Birth to Grief
      • 2021 Parenting Series
        • 2021 Parenting Series – The Sleepy Tot
        • 2021 Parenting Series – COVID 19 Vaccination
        • 2021 Parenting Series – HypnoBirthing
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Resilient Retreat
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Potty Training
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Sound Beginnings
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Childhood Stress
      • 2020 Regional Summit Lunch and Learn Series
      • An Evening for Healthy Start 2020
      • “Giving Sarasota a Healthy Start” Luncheon 2020
      • North Port Community Baby Shower & Preschool Expo
      • Sarasota Community Baby Shower
      • SECOND REGIONAL SUMMIT: Substance Use Disorder in the Pregnant Patient and Substance Exposed Neonate
      • (Virtual) Breakfast of Champions 2020
  • DONATE
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Wishlist
    • Amazon Smile
    • Goodshop
  • ABOUT
    • Mission & History
    • Our Team
    • Volunteer Executive Board
    • Annual Reports
    • Client Success Stories
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • PROGRAMS
    • Healthy Start
    • Connect
    • Save My Life
    • MomCare
    • Fetal & Infant Mortality Review
  • COMMUNITY ACTION
    • Addiction Support and Pregnancy (ASAP)
    • Breastfeeding Advocates of Sarasota County
    • Breastfeeding Friendly Sarasota Project
    • Breastfeeding Peer Counselors
    • Clean Start
    • IMPLICIT: Interconception Care Model for Vulnerable Populations in Sarasota County
    • Pump Up Sarasota
    • Safe Sleep Sarasota Initiative
    • Substance Exposed Newborn Prevention & Protection
  • FOR MOMS
    • Can Healthy Start Help You?
    • Breastfeeding Support & Resources
    • Clean Start – Protecting Your Baby from Drugs and Alcohol
    • Family Planning
    • Getting Healthy Before You Get Pregnant
    • Help to Quit Smoking
    • Hurricane & Disaster Preparedness
    • Safe Sleep for Your Baby
    • Text4Baby
    • Think 39 Weeks!
    • Zika and Pregnancy
  • FOR PROVIDERS
    • Prenatal Risk Screen
    • Infant Risk Screen
    • Provider Education & Resources
    • Your Community Liaison
  • EVENTS
    • An Evening for Healthy Start 2023
      13th Annual Fundraiser
    • Past Events
      • 2022 Breakfast of Champions
      • Run Baby Run! 5k
      • An Evening for Healthy Start 2022
      • Fourth Annual Regional Summit 2022
      • Free Virtual Webinar: Multiple Layers of COVID-19 From Birth to Grief
      • 2021 Parenting Series
        • 2021 Parenting Series – The Sleepy Tot
        • 2021 Parenting Series – COVID 19 Vaccination
        • 2021 Parenting Series – HypnoBirthing
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Resilient Retreat
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Potty Training
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Sound Beginnings
        • 2021 Parenting Series – Childhood Stress
      • 2020 Regional Summit Lunch and Learn Series
      • An Evening for Healthy Start 2020
      • “Giving Sarasota a Healthy Start” Luncheon 2020
      • North Port Community Baby Shower & Preschool Expo
      • Sarasota Community Baby Shower
      • SECOND REGIONAL SUMMIT: Substance Use Disorder in the Pregnant Patient and Substance Exposed Neonate
      • (Virtual) Breakfast of Champions 2020
  • DONATE
    • Donate
    • Volunteer
    • Wishlist
    • Amazon Smile
    • Goodshop

Sample Letter for Contacting Legislators:

The Honorable (full name)
Florida State Legislature

Dear Senator (last name) ,

Last week, the Florida House Health Care Appropriations Committee recommended eliminating Healthy Start Coalitions and moving services to the County Health Departments effective July 1, 2010. As you know, this proposal would completely eliminate Healthy Start Coalitions and shift service dollars and responsibilities to County Health Departments. This concerns me as a taxpayer, a mother with potential future pregnancies, and an advocate for quality maternity care.

Why am I concerned as a taxpayer? While the state may save $4 million by cutting Healthy Start, it will lose approximately $32 million per year in additional funds leveraged by Healthy Start Coalitions. Overhead costs of county health departments are nearly 20%–more than twice the average local Coalition. Coalitions reduce barriers to health care and save taxpayers money through effectively promoting healthy outcomes for babies. As private, non-profit organizations, Healthy Start Coalitions ensure cost-effective oversight of services.

Why am I concerned as a mother with potential future pregnancies? Currently, only 42 out of 67 county health departments provide prenatal care. Healthy Start Coalitions have established reliable provider networks to ensure access to care and commitment to healthy outcomes.  This network facilitates universal risk screening for pregnant women and infants.  This is the foundation for determining the moms and babies most at risk for poor outcomes. Under the Coalitions’ current model, contracted prenatal and infant care services take place in both the private and public sector.  In 17 counties, care coordination services are provided by the private sector and no longer by contracted county health departments.  In 33 counties, MomCare services are provided in-house by Coalitions. County health departments are not equipped to take on this responsibility.

Why am I concerned as an advocate for quality maternity care? The Healthy Start Coalition model is a successful one. Healthy Start Coalitions and their universal screening program for pregnant women and newborns are credited with reducing infant mortality by 20% since their inception. That alone should speak volumes to you, and beg your reconsideration of this recommendation.

Sincerely,

Your name
Your address

Blog

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  • Hurricane
    Hurricane Preparedness: Pregnant Women and Families Friday, 30, Aug

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About

“Our Mission is to Improve the Health and Well-being of Pregnant Women, Infants, and Young Children in Sarasota County.”

WHO WE ARE

  • OUR TEAM
  • VOLUNTEER EXECUTIVE BOARD
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WHAT WE DO

  • OUR MISSION
  • OUR PROGRAMS
  • EVENTS
  • FAQ
  • PRESS RELEASES

OUR MISSION

“Our Mission is to Improve the Health and Well-being of Pregnant Women, Infants, and Young Children in Sarasota County.”

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© 2017 The Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc. Designed by Ciera Coleman. Photography by Peter Acker.