Program areas at Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition
The Healthy Start program continued to provide services to over 75% of all new and growing families in Monroe County who welcomed children this year. Individual services are tailored to a familys needs and include care coordination, case management, referrals, and interconceptional care. Healthy Start serves as our overall assessment resource and referral system. Access to services begins with a prenatal screen completed at a womans first obstetrical doctors appointment. Infants are also screened at birth to identify possible factors that could impact a babys health or development in the first year of life. Healthy Start facilitated screening and assessment of 1,010 pregnant women and infants in July 2021-June 2022 to identify potential risks for poor birth outcomes and developmental delays. Intake staff assessed 866 clients and referred them to community partners to include enrollment in Healthy Start intervention services.
Keys to Supporting Families is our newest program, addressing economic challenges, food security, and social determinants of health by providing baby supplies such as diapers, strollers, formula, baby food, clothing, and much more. Through the provision of costly yet vital baby items/supplies, our support allows families finite resources to cover other costs and basic needs, especially housing, utilities, and food. During our fiscal year of 2021-2022, we supplied over 800 struggling families with 100,000+ diapers and 80,000+ wipes. In partnership with local food pantries and distribution sites, FKHSC is the go-to agency for formula and baby food, providing nutritional support to families in the Keys.
Healthy Babies addresses the health and well-being of parents and babies during pregnancy and the first few months of life. In FY 2021-2022, we provided transportation to 106 pregnant women to 141 subsidized prenatal care appointments, driving a total of 3,885 miles. We provided over 266 hours of one-on-one counseling sessions with our mental health professional to 34 parents experiencing PMAD (previously known as postpartum depression). To meet the changing needs of our client population, we recruited bilingual professionals and now offer counseling to families speaking Haitian Creole, Spanish and English. We coached 18 parents to meet their breastfeeding goals through virtual classes. In order to serve more families through their breastfeeding journeys, we began training 15 volunteers to become Certified Lactation Counselors and breastfeeding champions in the Keys. 21 families were empowered for their childbirth experience through virtual childbirth class.
Keys to Kids Safety helps parents and caregivers to provide a safe environment to raise their children through the provision of education, support, and safety supplies. We address vehicle and bike safety, safe sleep practices, home environment and poison safety. Our 19 volunteer technicians and instructor properly installed 239 car seats throughout the Florida Keys and provided families with 201 reduced or no-cost car seats. In addition, to meet the needs of families who use public transportation, we provided 115 stroller car seat combos. Over 100 families were able to provide their baby with a safe sleeping environment with a pack n play. Over 15 baby and toddler bicycle helmets helped keep riders safe. We provided 412 families with Welcome Baby Bags to give them tools to help keep their new baby healthy and safe. Bags include safe sleep tools such as a swaddle sack and Sleep Baby board book, useful baby items and resource guides.
Our Keys to Growing Kids program facilitates family health, well-being, and education for parents and our tiniest citizens during their first few years of life. Tot Time and Wiggles & Giggles groups address early childhood development and support parents/caregivers with the goal of children being ready and thriving by the time they enter kindergarten. We facilitated 124 early childhood education groups, helping ensure that 1,330 children throughout the Keys achieved or exceeded developmental milestones.
Our Keys To Hope program provides support to parents and families who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy, baby, or child. Trained bereavement doulas and mental health professionals along with dedicated staff support this program. Launched in 2021, this program is growing and building connections with families and community members in the Keys. In partnership with Gabriel Project, we provided the hospital with a CuddleCot to give grieving families the precious gift of time with their baby, born still. Support is also available for families experiencing losses during the 1st and 2nd trimesters, including miscarriage kits, printed materials, baby memorial books, and encouragement gifts.