Healthy Start hosted our annual workshop on Friday, November 2, 2018 at the Florida Department of Health – Bill Posey Conference Center in Viera, Florida. As opioids continue to impact the moms and babies in our community, the Healthy Start 2018 Workshop focused on medicated-assisted treatments, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. 

Our speaker, Dave Kneessy, M.S., LMHC, MCAP, MAC, is the Regional Director at the Central Florida Treatment Center in Brevard County. Dave’s knowledge and expertise on this topic was beneficial to all that attended. We appreciate his dedication to educating our community partners and making this workshop a successful event.

3 CEU Credits were approved for: Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Teachers, Nutritionists, and Nurses (RNs, LPNs, CNAs, ARNPs, Midwives).  CEUs were provided by Children’s Home Society of Florida BAP #109-Exp: 03/31/19, Brevard Public Schools, and Brevard County Health Department FBN 50-255

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A special thank you to Parrish Medical Center for sponsoring the workshop breakfast.  Thank you for your continued support in Healthy Start and the moms and babies of Brevard County!

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October 4, 2018

Children’s Home Society –Space Coast Region gave the Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard County their thirty-day notice on September 19, 2018. Children’s Home Society –Space Coast Region will no longer hold a contract for care-coordination services with the Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard, as of October 31, 2018.

We have had a valuable partnership with Children’s Home Society –Space Coast Region. They have given exceptional service to our Healthy Start moms and babies of Brevard for many years and they will continue to work diligently through this transition period. We appreciate the dedication and support Children’s Home Society –Space Coast Region has given to Healthy Start and we wish them the most success in their future endeavors.

Through this transition, Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard is collaborating with potential providers to provide future care-coordination services for our clients.

Respectfully, 
Jennifer Schwalb Floyd, Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard County

The 2018 First 1000 Days Florida Summit was held on September 26-28, 2018 at the Palm Beach Convention Center. This statewide multi-disciplinary, cross-sector conference focused on science, skill-building and advocacy for home visitors and other early childhood staff serving expectant and new families with children through age 3.

The inaugural First 1000 Days Florida Summit, held in 2015, drew more than 700 participants from programs in maternal and child health, prevention of abuse and neglect, early intervention, child care and school readiness.

The first 1000 days is the most critical period of development in a child’s life and creates the foundation for future health, well-being and educational achievement.

Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard participated in the Showcase Poster Session at the Summit, highlighting the Baby Box initiative in North Brevard and reducing Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths with safe sleep education.