Healthy Start Initiative – Enhanced

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Healthy Start Initiative - Enhanced (HSE) Program. The purpose of HSE is to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy and reduce the well-documented racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes.1,2,3 HSE is intended to support projects in diverse communities and populations (e.g., rural, urban, non-Hispanic Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native [AI/AN]) experiencing the greatest disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. HSE has two focus areas: 1) providing direct and enabling services (e.g., screening and referrals, case management and care coordination, health and parenting education, and linkage to clinical care to enrolled HSE participants; and 2) convening Community Consortia comprised of diverse multi-sector partners that advise and inform HSE activities and develop and implement plans to improve perinatal outcomes within the selected project area. HSE has an increased emphasis on addressing social determinants of health in order to improve disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. The program also provides recipients with increased flexibility to customize interventions to meet the unique needs of their target population. The goals of HSE are to: 1. Continue reducing infant mortality rates (IMR) in the U.S., and 2. Decrease disparities in infant mortality (IM) across racial/ethnic groups by achieving steeper declines for groups with the highest infant mortality rates (e.g., non-Hispanic Black and AI/AN infants). HSE projects should be implemented in communities experiencing high rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity that do not already have access to Healthy Start Services. Successful HSE projects will implement program activities in new project areas and accomplish the following objectives during the 5-year period of performance: Direct and Enabling Services for HSE Participants Increase receipt of case management and care coordination to facilitate access to medical care and community-based resources. Increase uptake of healthy behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy. Increase use of safe infant care practices. Community Consortium Convene diverse, multi-sector state, local, and community level partners, including HSE participants and other community members, that will: Advise and inform strategies for providing direct and enabling services to HSE participants. Develop cross-sector partnerships to ensure access for HSE participants to coordinated, comprehensive maternal, child, and family medical care; health and parenting education; and community-based resources that address social determinants of health within the project area. Participate in Communities of Practice with other HSE projects to develop and implement a strategic plan for the community that focuses on at least one social determinant of health.