History
The Georgia Strong Families program is a Healthy Start Initiative. Healthy Start programs like ours are community-driven and serve underserved populations.
WHAT is Healthy Start?
- Healthy Start is a federal program that began in 1991 dedicated to reducing disparities in maternal and infant health status in high risk communities.
- Healthy Start supports women by addressing their health and social service needs, strengthening family resilience, and engaging community partners to enhance systems of care.
- Healthy Start works to assure access to culturally competent, family-centered and comprehensive health and social services for women, infants and their families.
- Healthy Start works in communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the national average, and high rates of low birth weight, preterm birth, and maternal mortality.
Since its beginning in 1991, Healthy Start has served thousands of families. Healthy Start currently funds 100 organizations in 37 states and DC, including health departments, community-based organizations, health centers and universities.
For more information about the Healthy Start Initiative, visit www.nationalhealthystart.org
In 2019, The Georgia Department of Public Health was awarded funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through its Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health. These funds supported the creation of the Georgia Strong Families Program (GSFP) here in Columbus, GA.
Muscogee County was targeted because:
- The area consistently has higher infant mortality rates (10.7%) than the rest of the state (7.2%)
- There is a significant difference in infant mortality rates of blacks and whites in the area.
- Additionally, 25% of the population in this area lives at or below the poverty line.
Georgia Strong Families program provides services to at least 350 pregnant women, new mothers, infants and fathers across the county each year. We work diligently to decrease infant mortality in Muscogee County by empowering women and their families to reduce the challenges they face that threaten their health and prevent healthy birth outcomes.
Georgia Strong Families is a grant funded program through 2024.
Our Curriculums
Parents As Teachers
Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based, home visiting curriculum that promotes optimal early development, learning, and health of young children by supporting and engaging their parents and caregivers.
PROGRAM BENEFITS:
- Education is conveniently provided in the family’s home or another location of their choice
- Engaging educational information that is adapted to meet a family’s needs
- Developmentally appropriate activities that encourages movement, play, and exploration at each visit
- Parent Educators provide guidance in goal setting and provide parents with information on how to detect developmental delays
- Monthly Group Connections provide support and networking through group meetings
Partners for a Healthy Baby
Partners for a Healthy Baby is a research-based, practice-informed curriculum that promotes improving birth outcomes, strengthening families, enhancing child health and developmental outcomes, and promoting economic self-sufficiency.
PROGRAM BENEFITS:
- Education is provided in group sessions that aid in expanding a family’s circle of support
- Relevant information based on the woman’s stage of pregnancy
- More than one hundred topics for prenatal families that such as fetal development, nutrition, labor and delivery, postpartum depression, infant care, safe sleep practices, and breastfeeding
- Prepare parents with the knowledge and skills needed to care for their baby
- Monthly Group Connections provide support and networking through group meetings