Healthy Start was born when Governor Lawton Chiles and the First Lady convened a group of community leaders and challenged them to build local coalitions to reduce Florida's alarmingly high infant mortality rate.

Healthy Start builds on Governor Chiles' experience as chairman of the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality and helps at-risk mothers receive the care they need for a healthy pregnancy and baby.     

Governor Lawton Chiles believed every child deserved a healthy start in life and worked with communities to build strong local coalitions to provide high-quality prenatal care for mothers and health care for children.

The Florida Legislature created healthy Start in 1991. There are 32 coalitions across the state of Florida that work within their local communities to solve local problems. Since the inception of Healthy Start, infant mortality has dropped by as much as 15%. 

Healthy Start was originally funded to provide for only 46% of the need in Florida.
Florida’s population growth and vast diversity has proved difficult to keep up with.  Healthy Start received its first funding increase for new clients in 2006. An additional 11.1 million dollars was allocated to Healthy Start to provide services to 20,000 additional pregnant women and infants. 

Although Healthy Start has accomplished much, there is still much work to be done. Please join us! Your support through volunteering or financial support will make a huge difference!