UMCHS HEALTHY START

While Healthy Start works a little differently in each community, all Healthy Start programs give new parents information about topics like:

• How babies and toddlers grow, develop and learn

• How to help build baby's brain as you take care of her/him every day

• How to have a set of parenting skills that work as your baby grows

• How to keep your baby, toddler and yourself healthy

• How to care for your baby and toddler, including tips on feeding, sleep and safety

• How to find out about activities and resources for new families in your community

Healthy Start Outcomes:

1. Increase the number of children ready for school;

2. Reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect by improving parenting skills;

3. Increase families’ connections with other resources.

Oregon’ Healthy Start offers services to first time parents. Healthy Start offers families, especially Oregon’s most overburdened new parents, education and support through home visits by highly trained staff.

Because of Healthy Start, parents are more skilled and their children are healthier and safer, better prepared for school, and less likely to be abused and neglected.

Healthy Start Works

Independent evaluations over the past 14 years show that Healthy Start:

• Decreases child abuse and neglect. Children NOT in Healthy Start were 2 1/2 times more likely to be abused or neglected.

• Increases immunizations

• Decreases emergency room use

• Builds early literacy skills, leading to greater success in school

• Improves children’s healthcare and prenatal care for their mothers’ later pregnancies

• Identifies children with developmental delays and links them with services early

• Improves parents’ ability to nurture their children