Our amazing team of coalition workers and service providers work hard at serving our community to meet the needs of expectant and new families.

Healthy Start Florida started with a realization that pregnant women and newborns were not getting the care needed to insure healthy pregnancies, healthy babies.  Premature births and infant mortality were high.  Because of healthy start and providing services to pregnant women and new parents,  the number of infant death and preterm delivery has dropped drastically over the last 25 years.

The Healthy Start Coalition of Santa Rosa County, Inc. is a local, non profit, 501(c)3 organization that works with moms and babies to ensure they have the services and care they need to live a long and healthy life!

Healthy Start is the foundation for early intervention, child protection, and school readiness programs.  A healthy baby saves state tax dollars: for every $1 spent on preventing an unhealthy birth, $6 is saved in neonatal intensive care costs, recurrent hospital and medical expenses paid by Medicaid, exceptional and remedial education, child abuse and neglect investigations, and disability and dependency costs.

March 25th,   2020 

As the world continues to monitor the impact and spread of   COVID-19, we want to ensure you that we, the Healthy Start Coalition of Santa   Rosa County, are monitoring it as well. We are taking every precaution we   can, while working within the best practices set forth by the CDC, the   Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Association of Healthy Start   Coalitions. It is and always has been our number one priority to help   pregnant women stay healthy throughout their pregnancies and give birth to   healthy babies. Now more than ever, our mission is crucial.

Last week, our staff worked hard to prepare our office and   make the transition to work remotely from our homes. We worked with staff at   the OB/GYN Offices to guarantee our Prenatal Risk Screening Forms are still   being given to pregnant women at their first OB appointment, as well as   providing them with materials to mail those screens to us. Our Coordinated   Intake and Referral Team and our Services Providers are working together to   continue to contact clients and provide services. Our “home-visiting”   services will now be provided over the phone or through virtual videos where   available. Our team has worked tirelessly to put internal protocols into   place based on recommendations and guidance from the Florida Association of   Healthy Start regarding technology, working remotely, and HIPAA. 

Update on our Baby Shower: 

Unfortunately, the decision was made to postpone our Baby   Shower due to concerns over the Coronavirus. We made this decision to   minimize the spread of the virus and reduce the risk to our community’s   pregnant women and infants. Currently, our intention is still to reschedule   the event because this event is more than a celebration for growing families;   this event connects parents with so many useful organizations and resources.   The Santa Rosa County Auditorium has ensured us that they will work with us   to rebook and are hoping to offer us some potential dates soon. We appreciate   your patience during this time of uncertainty. 

Even though our office is closed, we are working remotely and   encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns. We are also   updating our website www.healthystartsantarosa.org  and our https://www.facebook.com/healthystartSRC/ regularly.

Please email us and we will reach out as soon as possible

Martha Zimmermann, Executive Director mzimmermann@hscsrc.org 

Katrina Ryan, Office Coordinator – hscadmin@hscsrc.org 

*For all Baby Shower related questions 

Deb Shuler, Coordinated Intake and Referral Supervisor –  dshuler@hscsrc.org  or call/text   (850) 776-3830 *For Community Referrals or if you are a Healthy Start   Client or 

looking to become one* or if you are an OB Office with   questions regarding screening*

As things are always changing, we will do our best to keep   everyone informed of changes on our end. 

Thank you, 

The Healthy Start Coalition of Santa Rosa County