*This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 
1991.05.03 :  Grants -- Healthy Start

Contact: Thomas T. Williams, Regional Director (404) 331-2442
William Koenig (404) 331-5655
May 3, 1991

     A Healthy Start Initiative Pre-Application Conference to be
held May 10, 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia.
     A pre-application conference for potential grant applicants
for the "Healthy Start" initiative to combat infant mortality will
be held Friday May 10, *This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 
1991.  The conference will be in the Strom
Auditorium at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Spring
Street, SW beginning from 9:30am until 4:30pm.
     The "Healthy Start" initiative is intended to dramatically
improve infant and maternal health in areas with high infant
mortality rates.  Funding of $25 million will be available this
year under the new initiative, which is to be carried out in 10
high infant death areas.  Proposed funding for next year is $171
million.  The initiative, which will continue over five years, aims
at reducing infant mortality by 50 percent in the 10 areas, and
techniques proven through the initiative will be applied in other
communities throughout the nation.
     Eligible applicants are a local or State health department or
authority or other publicly supported provider organization, a
private nonprofit organization, or consortia of the same, approved
by the chief elected official of the city or county in which the
project area is located (or, if there is more than one  county, the
chief elected officials acting in concert).  No more than one
application may be made for a given project area, and each
application must be endorsed by the Governor of the State or the
head of the tribal organization.
     The Healthy Start project areas must have at least 50 infant
deaths per year "to assure selection of communities with a
sufficient magnitude of the problem to justify concentrating
resources" but no more than 200 infant deaths per year "to assure
projects of manageable size."
      Project areas must also have an infant mortality rate of at
least 15.7 per 1,000 live births (150 percent of the national
rate), using five-year averages of official vital statistics data.
     The limits mean that large cities generally would not qualify
as a whole -- but neighborhoods within them could - so might
several rural counties, or parts of them, that might apply
together.
     The selection of the approximately 10 areas will be based in
part on their "commitment and involvement," and the integration and
increased accessibility of proposed services.  In particular,
communities will be asked to identify ways to encourage eligible
women and children to utilize Medicaid benefits and to maximize 
other programs such as JOBS and WIC to address a wide array of
health and social problems.                       
     Consideration will also be given for innovative education
programs designed to increase pregnant women's (and, where future
fathers') sense of personal responsibility and encourage them
to become involved in comprehensive maternity and infant care as
well as in an array of social and educational services.  In
addition, the areas must show strength in administration, financial
management and program evaluation.  

     Robert G. Harmon, M.D., M.P.H., administrator of HRSA, the PHS
agency that will administer Healthy Start, said, "We look forward
to working with community leaders, state and local agencies,
professional organizations, charitable and religious organizations,
advocacy groups and especially families in implementing this new
program.  Healthy Start is the banner that will bring us all
together."
     Grant applications may be obtained from the Office of Grants
Management, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 12300 Twinbrook
Parkway, Suite 100-A, Rockville, MD. 20852 or call (301) 443-1440. 
Further information regarding the Healthy Start pre-application
conference can be obtained by calling William Koenig, Public Health
Service at (404) 331-5655.

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