Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard would like to thank everyone at the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach and Courtyard by Marriott Cocoa Beach for your generous donations to Healthy Start. Each quarter these two hotels choose fundraising activities to donate too. Healthy Start is honored to be chosen this year as one of their focuses for collecting donations.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your monthly meeting and spreading awareness of Healthy Start to your wonderful staff.

Your contributions will go directly to the moms and babies of Brevard County in the Healthy Start program. Thank you again for supporting Healthy Start, we are grateful for your continued support.

Healthy Start hosted an annual workshop on Friday, November 4, 2016 at our local Florida Department of Health, Brevard County, Viera, Bill Posey Conference Center. This year’s focus was to explore the circumstances that are associated with birth disparities and infant mortality; and how to improve the health and well-being of pregnant and postpartum substance abusing women and their children in our community. Our Birth Disparities and Poor Birth Outcomes Workshop was a successful event that provided 5 CEU’s for Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Teachers, Childbirth Educators, Doulas, Dietitians, Nutritionists, and Nurses (RNs, LPNs, CNAs, ARNPs, and Midwives).

We had three outstanding speakers for this year’s workshop…

1) Carol Brady, Project Director, Florida’s Maternal, Infant & Early Childhood Home Visiting Initiative
Social Determinants of Health: Why They Matter & What We Can Do About Them:
This session discussed how healthy birth outcomes start in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities. Access to social and economic opportunities; the resources and supports available in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities; the quality of our schooling; the safety of our workplaces; the cleanliness of our water, food, and air; and the nature of our social interactions and relationships directly impact the health of mothers, infants and families. The goal of this presentation was to increase understanding of the social determinants of health through experiential learning using the Life Course Game, as well as provide concrete, actionable strategies that can be used by Healthy Start staff and other providers to improve the social and economic well-being of families.

Many attendees inquired on accessing the Life Course Game played during the workshop. Please visit this website to download the game and instructions. This game raised general awareness of the myriad of risk and protective factors that determine a person’s life course (poverty, race, environment, etc.).
LIFE COURSE GAME
http://www.citymatch.org:8080/lifecoursetoolbox/gameboard.php

2) Dr. Paul Evans, Ph.D., Prevention Specialist, Circles of Care
“Pregnancy Laced with Substance Abuse”, An Epidemiological View of Pregnancy and Substance Use/Abuse:
The troubling issues of substance abuse has reached epidemic proportions in our society today, invading every segment and corner of our population leaving behind a trail of broken lives and families along with a plethora of serious health issues. Girls and women who are pregnant are not immune from this problem and actually present the potential for even a greater risk of negative consequences when you consider the damaging effects on the fetus and possible long-term health issues for the life of the children. This session focused on the history of pregnant women using substances, the factual information of the dangers of substances to the mother and the fetus, and the considerations of possible action steps to lessen substance abuse among women who are pregnant and minimize the negative impacts of substance abuse “laced” into a pregnancy.

3) Dixie Morgese, Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties
Engaging Families Affected by Substance Use:
This presentation looked at the nature and scope of substance use in the family system, the impact of adverse childhood experiences and trauma, and the value of using the Protective Factors Framework and Parent Partner Approach to build the rapport needed to engage families. Ms. Morgese provided practical approaches to effective engagement to improve outcomes.

Our 2017 Workshop will be held on Friday, November 3, 2017 at our local Florida Department of Health, Brevard County, Viera, Bill Posey Conference Center. More information on our 2017 Workshop will be posted soon.

On June 4, 1991, then-Governor Lawton Chiles signed into law the landmark Healthy Start program to make sure every baby in the state lived to reach their first birthday. Twenty-five years later, more than 150,000 families each year receive care coordination and support for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby; and the infant mortality rate has declined dramatically in Florida.

On August 27, 2016, Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard celebrated 25 years of service. We had a wonderful evening filled with good food, exciting silent auction items and gracious presentations by a few of our Healthy Start families. We ended the evening with a Star Theater light show and observatory viewing of the stars at our local Planetarium located at the Eastern Florida State College, Cocoa campus.

Thank you again to Wuesthoff Medical Center, FDLRS, and Intercoastal Insurance for sponsoring our 25th Anniversary event. This event would not have been possible without the support of our community and sponsors.

Proceeds from the event will provide emergency financial assistance to pregnant women and families with young children through the Bonnie Schuster Memorial Fund.

We celebrated a wonderful evening and look forward to another 25 years.

Thank you to all those that supported Healthy Start,
Healthy Start Staff

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Healthy Start provides moms, newborns and families with the resources, help and support they need to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. The goal of Healthy Start is to reduce infant mortality, reduce the number of low birth weight babies and improve health and developmental outcomes of all Florida’s babies.

Thank you to our Sponsors and Donations for making this event possible

Walt Disney World, Sea World Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Brevard Zoo, Andretti Thrill Park Melbourne, Hampton Inn at Cocoa Beach, Courtyard by Marriott at Cocoa Beach, 914 Studios, Eastern Florida State College Planetarium, Otterbox, Panera Viera, Orlando City Soccer, Squishy Bath and Body Goods Viera, Diva Nails, Wonder Works, and much more.

20th Annual World’s Greatest Baby Shower

Because our community works together to promote healthy babies and healthy mothers, this year’s World’s Greatest Baby Shower was a huge success with over 600 people in attendance.

The 20th World’s Greatest Baby Shower was held at the Searstown Mall in Titusville on Saturday, May 14 from 9 am to 1 pm.

The event included over 40 vendors from local non-profit agencies and businesses who provide information to all registered participants, as well as educational workshops and information throughout the day. This year’s workshops included Safe Sleep/SIDS prevention, Infant Brain Development, Car Seat Safety, and an “Ask a Doc” panel.

The event is a joint venture of University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Brevard County, Kiwanis Club of Titusville, The Children’s Center, Parrish Medical Center, Florida Department of Health/WIC, Healthy Start Coalition of Brevard, and B.E.T.A of Titusville. Funds for this years’ event were provided in part by Jess Parrish Medical Foundation.