The Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.

“Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of

pregnant women, infants, and young children.”
July 2009 - June 2010

Page 2 Page 3 Pages 4-5 Pages 6-7

A Message from... The Next Five Years Events and Fundraisers Guide to Programs

  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.   1

Annual Report

From the desk of our Executive Director

As you may know,
the Florida House of Rep-
resentatives submitted
a bill last session to
eliminate all Healthy
Start Coalitions in Florida.
Thanks to the help of Healthy
Start Coalition members and
supporters statewide… We’re still here! Your letters, phone calls,
news articles, and support went a long way in educating legislators
about the consequences of this proposed bill.
Recent research — known as the life course perspective – is
showing how health problems earlier in life actually impact future
pregnancies and fetal development. More women are entering
pregnancies with chronic medical conditions as a result of poor
health or obesity, or have addictions to tobacco, alcohol, prescrip-
tion medications, or illegal drugs. Mothers find it more difficult
to breastfeed because of competing priorities, which can impact
the life-long health of that child. These issues seriously threaten
all of the progress of the last 20 years in reducing fetal death,
prematurity, low birth weight, infant death, and maternal death.
You can help us foster improved health and well-being
for our most precious little Sarasota County residents, their
parents, and their families. Everyone has a role to play, whether
it’s sharing new information you’ve learned with clients or your
family members, taking an active role in the community, recom-
mitting to your working relationship with the Coalition, becoming
a member of our Coalition, volunteering, or making a donation.
We still need you! Please join us as we start our next five years of
service to pregnant women and infants.

A Message from our

Executive Board
Healthy our lives. At Healthy Start, we are very
Start is close fortunate to have a dedicated staff
to my heart. and Board and wonderful Coalition
It is a truly vital members who are all passionate
organization in about our mission. However, our
our community and current funding allows us only to Thank you to our generous and talented 2010 Executive
it has been such an honor to serve help pregnant women and babies Board for your dedication, time, and energy!
on the volunteer Board of Directors at the highest risk. Our dream is to
for six years. When we consider the help all pregnant women and babies Shara Abrams Carol Selvey Kelly Kirschner
future health of our community, at risk in Sarasota County. Please Co-Chair At-Large, Business Public Official
it makes the most sense to start at consider volunteering or making
Jenna Norwood Shelby Hill Shelley Rence
the beginning; doing all we can to a tax-deductible contribution to Co-Chair Secretary Ex-Officio
ensure healthy pregnancies and Healthy Start. We need you to make
healthy babies. Having the benefit our dream come true! Cameron Icard Kitty Cranor Ronald Reagan
of a healthy start in life dramatically Vice-Chair At-Large Honorary
increases the chances of continued Mike McIntosh Monica Becket Ed Chiles
health and well-being for the rest of Treasurer At-Large Honorary

2009-2010
Healthy Start
Coalition Staff

Jennifer Highland, MPH, RN Janice Baxter, ACSW Tiffany Prater, MA Ciera Galbraith, BS
Executive Director Contract and Quality Education Communications and
Assurance Manager Coordinator Development Specialist

2  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.


The Healthy Start
Coalition of Sarasota County,
Inc. is celebrating our 12th
birthday in 2010. Having
completed our Service Delivery
Plan for 2010 – 2015 we are
pursuing new endeavors to
help pregnant women and
infants achieve better health,
and meet the needs of those
who have risks which may lead
to fetal death, prematurity, low
birth weight, or infant death.
Healthy Start Coalitions
across the state assure there
are well-orchestrated systems
in place to identify pregnant
women and infants who are at
risk for poor birth outcomes,
and assure access to prenatal
care and other needed services
to help reduce risks. Some,
like ours, offer professional
and public education programs
about different aspects of
pregnancy and infant health,
and prevention of risk factors.
We are the only organization in
Sarasota County in this unique
position.
We have taken a “bird’s
eye view” of the health and
needs of women of childbear-
ing age, pregnant women, and
infants. The trends we feel are
most affecting their health are:
smoking, substance abuse,
Anne Muir Miryan McDonald
MomCare Supervisor Admin. Asst/ Spanish
MomCare Advisor
obesity, maternal infections,
unplanned pregnancies, high
Cesarean section delivery
rate leading to unnecessary
pre-term births, sub-optimal
breastfeeding rates, and
significant maternal and infant
health disparities among
African-Americans.
Our activities over the
next five years will take place
within our programs in col-
laboration with public and
private maternal-child health
care providers and others
who play a role in advancing
and improving the health of
women of childbearing age
and their offspring. Over the
next five years we will:
1. Implement the
“Right from the Start” and
“text4baby” campaigns, both
of which target pre/intercon-
ception, pregnancy, and infant
health.
2. Promote uniform
counseling messages and
support use of the 5 A’s
approach for women at risk
of continuing tobacco use
during pregnancy or between
pregnancies.
3. Improve screening for
drug abuse among pregnant
women, and advocate for
routine drug screening and
treatment.
4. Provide education to
the community and enhance
Healthy Start services to
Teri Endres
MomCare Advisor
reduce the hazards of obesity
during pregnancy.
5. Improve public
awareness of the risks of
maternal infections during
pregnancy and the importance
of prevention and adherence
to treatment protocols.
6. Offer updated family
planning education to Healthy
Start, MomCare, and Healthy
Families clients.
7. Improve public aware-
ness of the dangers of elective
C-sections prior to 39 weeks of
gestation.
8. Improve breastfeed-
ing rates among Healthy Start
and Healthy Families clients by
working along the continuum
from pregnancy through the
postpartum phase.
9. Increase and sustain
education and support for pre-
conception, interconception,
and pregnancy health for high
risk African-American pregnant
women in Newtown.
The Coalition will fulfill
its goals with the help of
legislators, donors, Florida
Department of Health,
our Executive Board, staff,
members, service providers,
community partners, and
volunteers– all who play an
important and rewarding role
in assuring the health and
well-being of Sarasota County’s
next generations.
Beverly Phelps
Save My Life
Program Coordinator
  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.   3
2009 Annual
Award Winners
Community Partner of the Year
For outstanding collaboration to
support Healthy Start Clients
First Step: Mothers and
Infants Program
Family of the Year
For a family who has overcome obstacles
and demonstrated a commitment to their
child’s health and well-being.
The Alvarez-Perez Family
Lawton Chiles Award
For contributions to prenatal and early
child health and exceptional commitment,
wisdom, leadership, and vision.
Dr. Jerome Isaac
Mission Award
For an individual whose work with
the Healthy Start Coalition has been of
sustained, significant value in helping
to achieve our mission.
Rebecca Clapp, SCHD
Volunteer of the Year
For a volunteer whose contributions
have been of great support to families
during pregnancy and infancy.
Angel’s Attic
Media Partner Award
For exceptional media coverage to
benefit the health of pregnant women
and young children
Jackie Barron, WFLA Channel 8
Cindy Martin, RN,
MSN, IBCLC, CKC
FIMR Coordinator
 Annual Report
We kicked off 2010 with our first major fundraiser -
and it was a great success!
On Thursday, January 21,
Sarasota Architectural Salvage
hosted “An Evening with
Healthy Start,” the first major
fundraising event effort by the
Healthy Start Coalition.
Executive DirectorJennifer Highland
and Executive Board Co-Chair Jenna
Norwood with Dr. Washington Hill
Local band, The Equines,
kicked off the night with their
rendition of “It’s my party” as
guests lined up at the door to
get inside. Guests flooded in
and were greeted by Healthy
Start Staff. At the registra-
tion table, guests were given
information about Healthy
Start programs and volunteer
opportunities, and encouraged
to sign up for our E-Newsletter.
Event Coordinator Ciera
Galbraith made an announce-
ment welcoming guests
and thanking our generous
sponsors – and we had a LOT
to thank! Gold Coast Eagle
Distributors provided 5 cases
of beer and cider; Executive
Executive Board Member Kelly Kirschner
with Friends and Family
4  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.
Board member Kitty Cranor
sponsored 5 cases of wine;
Michael’s on East, Poki Joe’s,
Carr’s Corner Café, and Publix
all catered food; Buddha Belly
Donuts provided brownies
and donut holes for the
delicious chocolate fountain,
and Sweetbay Supermarket
sponsored utensils.
Ciera also announced
our raffle and silent auctions
and thanked those generous
sponsors. The prize item of the
silent auction was a beautiful
heart pendant necklace
donated by world-famous
jewelry designer, Ned Bowman,
valued at $985. The raffle was
also a great success, with items
donated by Morton’s Market,
Beautiful hand-made necklace
by Ned Bowman,
The Fresh Market, Sarasota
Candle Company, Lonjevity
Café and Bar, and Sarasota
Architectural Salvage.
At the bar area set up
in the back, Staff worked
tirelessly to serve guests drinks
for the evening. Patrons were
encouraged to give tips at the
bar that would be counted as
donations toward Healthy Start
– and we made over $400 in
donations from tips alone!
The band played on
through the evening while
guests mingled and enjoyed
the great food and beverages.
Our poster model and Healthy
Start Client, one year old
Selena Marie Akal, was in
attendance and captured the
hearts of everyone there.
Don Daly Photography
donated photography for the
evening, and got some great
shots! Photos can be viewed
online at www.dondalyphoto.
com. Poster Model Selena
with Mom Maria
The evening was a
resounding success and we night! Next year’s fundraiser
would like to thank all who is scheduled for Thursday,
contributed, sponsored, and January 20th, 2011 from 6 -
attended. We raised over 9pm. So mark your calendars,
$2,700 for Healthy Start, because you won’t want to
surpassing our goal for the miss it!
Volunteer Appreciati on Days
We have a new tradition here at the Healthy Start
Coalition! On April 22, we held our first Volunteer Appre-
ciation Breakfast.
We wanted to say, “Thank You” to our generous
volunteers who have selflessly dedicated their time
to helping our cause. The Coalition staff brought in
homemade treats to share with our volunteers and
presented each with a personalized “Thank You” card to
recognize them for all of their hard work and generosity!
We will be holding these appreciation brunches
frequently to remind our volunteers how much they
mean to us. If you are interested in volunteering for the
Coalition, please contact Miryan McDonald, at (941)
373-7070, ext. 300.
Special Thanks to our 2009- 2010 Volunteers:
Jesse Coleman, Clara Rock Green, Christine Hofstra, Jo
Kabobel, SueEllen Kaeb, Abby Lindo, Joy Luce, Liz Murphy,
CeCe Nguyen, Katie Pfost , Stephanie Sierra , Jamee Thumm,
Karen Wend, Earl Young, Marie Zimmerman
Healthy Start Staff with volunteers
 The 16th Annual Community Baby Shower
Cosponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Sarasota
On Saturday February family! Guests were also treated Executive Board Member, Kelly
20th, at the Boys and Girls Families were given to a stylish pregnancy fashion Kirschner. Key Club Volunteers
Club of Sarasota County, The free gifts through a raffle show, sponsored by local helped crawling infants race
Healthy Start sponsored by maternity across the
Coalition and the the Kiwanis Club boutique, finish line, with
Kiwanis Club of of Sarasota and Bloomin’ the winner
Sarasota County the exhibitors, B e l l i e s . garnering a
cosponsored and children Models for month’s supply
the 16th Annual enjoyed games the Fashion of diapers!
Community Baby and face- Show were And they’re off! Diaper Derby We par-
First Step clients modeling
Shower. painting by the from the First Contestants are ready to go! ticularly enjoy
clothing from Bloomin’ Bellies
Pregnant Sarasota High Step Mothers hosting these
women, new moms, and School Key Club. and Infants Program, and were Community Baby Showers,
their families were invited Guests munched on given beautiful make-overs by as it is a wonderful way for us
for this free event, featuring snacks provided by the Kiwanis Fresh. Salon and Mary Kay. to meet and interact with our
educational exhibits from local Club, and drank delicious The highlight of the day clients, while also providing
health organizations, raffle smoothies donated by Sunni was the Diaper Derby, emceed them with education and
gifts, and fun for the whole Bunni Frozen Yogurt. by Mayor and Healthy Start essential baby items.

Other Events
Jenna Norwood’s
World Breastfeeding Week
Door Decorating Contest

Fundraiser August 1-7, 2009

Ready, Set, Grow!

On Saturday,
March 13th,
at the Glenridge
on Palmer Ranch, The Healthy
Start Coalition hosted its first
“Mozart Effect” fundraiser, a
classical music charity concert
featuring esteemed local
musicians performing
the works of Mozart,
Chopin, Beethoven,
Handel, Liszt, and
Mendelssohn.
The “Mozart
Effect” is a term coined
by Alfred A. Tomatis to
describe the popular
theory that exposure
to classical music, par-
ticularly the music of
Mozart, in the women Isabella Theiller, Maria DeLuca, Eleonora Lvov, Effect”
and during the first 3
years of life, can have
beneficial effects on a
child’s mental development
and spatial reasoning skills.
This unique fundraiser 3 weeks of booth space to women.
was created and organized
by Executive Board Co-Chair
Jenna Norwood. Jenna was
inspired by the work of her late
Grandmother, Maria DeLuca,
who taught music in Sarasota
County for more than 50 years,
and was an invaluable influence
on hundreds of musicians in
Sarasota County.
Musicians: (Left to Right)
Phyllis Willever, Laura Jensen-Jennings,
Joy Leitner and Candy Herrera
The Downtown Sarasota on Palmer Ranch. Tickets
Farmer’s Market donated are $25, or free for pregnant
Healthy Start, both to advertise
this fundraiser, and also to allow
us to speak to the community
about the services we provide.
The Farmer’s Market also
generously provided a huge gift
basket, featuring items from
Farmer’s Market vendors and
valued at over $750, for the
event raffle.
We eventually
hope that this event
will grow large enough
to provide funding to
create a locally produced
classical music CD to
distribute to all pregnant
women in Sarasota
County, accompanied by
educational information
about pregnancy.
Next year’s “Mozart
Concert is
scheduled to be held on
Sunday, March 13th, from
2 - 4pm at the Glenridge
Family Fair
(with United Way,
The Early Learning Coalition,
and the Sarasota Partnership for
Children’s Mental Health)
July 25th, 2009
Maternal-Child Health
in the 21st Century
(with Florida Friends of Midwives,
and Sarasota NOW)
November 1st, 2009
Introduction to
Healthy Start
February 1st, 2010
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders Workshop
(with The Florida Center for Child
and Family Development)
March 22, 2010
Cross-Cultural
Considerations for
Maternal/Child Health
(with Gulf coast South Area Health
Education Center)
April 23rd, 2010
Sarasota Film Society
“Babies” Documentary
Film Screening
May 15, 2010

  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.   5

 Annual Report
As you know, the
economic downturn continued
to be especially serious in our
county last year. Sarasota
County saw a reduction in
the population of women
of childbearing age as their
Healthy Start families moved out of the
Care Coordinators area to seek work. Even with
Shelley Rence, MA a slightly reduced number
Program Administrator of clients, the Healthy Start
C.J. Barney, BS Program had a very busy year.
Our clients faced greater
Kathleen Boyette, MA
challenges than ever before.
Jessica Bravo, BS We saw more pregnant women
Virginia Brockman, MPH, RN facing homelessness. The
number of pregnant women
Rita Jones, ACSW
who smoke increased. There
Elisa Niles, MA was a significant increase
Pat Reynolds, MSW
2,882
Suzanne Sendelbach, RN
Total resident births for
Nancy Valles, MA, RN July ‘09 - June ‘10
Wrap-Around 88%
Service Providers Percentage of pregnant
women screened for risks
Natalia Cava, MS, CLC
67%
Monica Cherry, LMHC Percentage of newborns screened
Jeanie DeLa, MS, LMHC
Healthy Start Services were
Carol Donnelly, LMHC provided to 1,628 pregnant
Dolores Dunn, LMHC women and 1,185 infants
Tonine Garberino, LMHC, MA
Jewish Family and Children’s
Service of Sarasota-Manatee,
Inc. Dale Block, LMFT
Barbara Leverone, MA, LMT
Dora Limoncelli, LMHC
Linda Miller, LMHC
Samaritan The FIMR Project is an
Diane Brantley, LCSW
Dennise Lawry, Psy.D. action-oriented community
process that continually
Sarasota Memorial Hospital,
Carol Eldridge, RN assesses, monitors, and works
to improve service systems,
Chip Schaaff, LMHC
community education, and
Mary St. Aubin, LMHC resources for women, infants,
Mary Ann Stockstill, and families.
LMHC, RN, PhD The FIMR process brings
together key members of
6  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.
in the number of pregnant
women with substance abuse
issues, mainly Oxycodone,
Methadone, and Benzodiaz-
epine addictions. Chaos was in
control for many. Our Healthy
Start Care Coordinators and
Wraparound Service Providers
responded to these needs
with increased oversight and
support for those having a
difficult time.
Services are tailored
to each of our clients, and
can include Care Coordina-
tion, Tobacco Cessation,
Psychosocial Counseling,
Nutrition Counseling, Child
birth Education, Breastfeed-
ing Education and Support,
Parenting Education, and Inter-
conception Health Education.
This year we were fortunate to
be able to add breastfeeding
the community to review de-
identified information from
individual cases of fetal and
infant death or prematurity to
identify factors associated with
those deaths or premature
births. This knowledge is then
used to make changes in the
system of prenatal and infant
care.
Annually, data is compiled
for the Case Review Team
(CRT) to analyze to determine
our County’s predominate
issues or problems, and make
education and
support in
Spanish. In
addition,
services
a n d
incentives
for Healthy
Start clients in
the First Step Mothers and
Infants Program for substance
abuse were expanded, to
more intensely assist them
with smoking cessation and
successful breastfeeding.
Please take a moment
to thank our front line service
providers for the tremendous
job they have done!
2,645
Community referrals made
for pregnant clients
1,455
Community referrals
made for infants
188
Highest risk prenatal clients
159
Highest risk infant clients
priority recommendations.
The Community Action and
Education Group takes these
priorities, and plans strategies
to address the issues.
This year, the major com-
monalities among fetal and
infant death cases in Sarasota
County were identified as:
Obesity, Dental or Genitouri-
nary Tract Infections, Smoking
and Tobacco Use, and Not
calling a prenatal care provider
after experiencing lack or
absence of fetal movement.

Did you know? African-American
babies are twice as likely to die in their first
year of life as other babies, and pregnant
women are 4 times as likely to lose their
babies before birth.
In an effort to reduce these
disparities, the Healthy Start
Coalition initiated the Save
My Life Program in 2007,
an education and support-
based program which
addresses the need for
a high-quality, culturally
relevant support system
to improve maternity
health and birth outcomes
among African-Americans in our
community.
This program works to reduce poor
birth outcomes by increasing community
awareness about risk factors that lead
to poor maternal and infant health,
and by implementing free classes and
group sessions which specifically focus
on helping women to make positive
behavioral changes. Classes are presented
in a culturally-sensitive manner, and are
held in community venues or in private
homes to increase accessibility.
The Save My Life Program
Coordinator, Beverly Phelps, has over 22
years of experience as a family support
worker in Sarasota County. She is
recognized as the first African-American
Childbirth Educator in Sarasota
County and is also trained
in Breastfeeding Support
and Pre-conception
Health.
This year, the
Save My Life Program
held over 100 classes,
serving over 172
clients. The Save My
Life Program is currently
seeking funding to ensure
that it is able to continue
this success in the future. Please
contact the Coalition if you are interested
in making a donation to this unique and
deserving program.
Save My Life
Saved My Life!
“This is a brief note
to share just how
important the ‘Save
My Life Program’ is.
When I took the class,
I received one-on-one
instruction for what
was to come. I was four Instructor Beverly Phelps
months pregnant at the demonstrates breastfeeding
time. By the time the techniques to July.
class series was over,
I was informed, relaxed, and confident of the
journey that laid ahead for my son and I.
What Beverly Phelps taught me was more
valuable than any of us could have guessed.
Because I had the training, the pregnancy
and thereafter were a total success. My son,
Jeremiah, and I are both abundantly blessed
these days. The “Save My Life” Program really
did save my life, in more ways than one. I
learned how to bond with my child, and I’m still
breastfeeding - 11 months later! My son is a
picture of health, and the bond that we share,
words cannot describe. I am the proudest mom
out there!
Thank you Save My Life! Thank you Beverly! You
go girl! Teach on... “

2010 Community Health

Worker Program
“Do you need a tune-up before pregnancy?
Tune up your health, that is!”

MomCare is a Medicaid identified

This year’s Community
Health Worker program
focused on Pre/Inter-Concep-
tion Health. The presentation
focused on how both men and
women can prepare physically,
emotionally and financially to
have a baby. The presentation
gave practical tips on how to
attain these things and also
how to plan their pregnancies
if they’re not ready to have
children right away. This
program was funded by
Lisa Bohn, Mary Belvin, Erin Ernst, Venise Green, Tina Helbig-North,
Dana McCalley Not Pictured: Joy Luce
Gulfcoast South Area Health
Education Center.
Healthy Start Coalition
Education Coordinator Tiffany
Prater, MA, and Gulfcoast
South AHEC Community
Education Coordinator, Ansley
Mora, trained 6 Community
Health Workers on January
9, 2010. From January – May
2010, our CHWs reached a
total of 332 people at health
fairs and presentations through
Sarasota County!
funded program to help women seven topics
access early prenatal care. Last important to pre,
year we served 1,854 women post and pregnancy health.
in Sarasota County. Besides We will also be educating
making sure moms to be about
that women “Teri was very helpful and how important
found me a doctor when
have prenatal it is to deliver
no-one else would or could.
care as soon as Thank you!” babies after the
their Medicaid 39th week of
is active, -MomCare Client pregnancy. Over
M o m C a re the years, the
Advisors talk with moms-to-be Healthy Start Coalition of
about healthy nutrition during Sarasota County has partnered
pregnancy, quitting smoking with other agencies and wrap
and breastfeeding. Of the around service providers
women we served, 11.27% to provide many services.
were Black and 20.12% MomCare lets our pregnant
Hispanic. Under the new moms know what services
Service Delivery Plan, we are in the community that
will incorporate Florida Right might help them have a happy,
from the Start material which healthy, full term baby.

  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.   7

Annual Report

We need your help!

The future of Sarasota County rests in the ability of the next generation to become productive citizens
and talented leaders. Babies who are born healthy have the greatest chance to reach these goals.
Your generosity today will make a world of difference for our babies tomorrow.
• $10 Provides transportation to a prenatal care appointment
• $60 Provides Quit-Smoking and Breastfeeding Incentives for one First Step Mothers and Infants Client
• $250 Provides four counseling sessions for a mother experiencing Postpartum Depression
• $500 Trains three community health workers to teach peers about becoming healthy before pregnancy
• $1,000 Helps to sponsor the Save My Life Program for African-American families

Facility tours, class sit-ins, and client success stories are available upon request. Please call our Executive
Director, Jennifer Highland, at (941) 373-7070 if you are interested in becoming a Healthy Start Donor.

Photography of Healthy Start clients was generously donated by Peter Acker.

All photos are copyright 2010 Peter Acker Photography.
www.packerphoto.com

1750 17th Street, Building A

Sarasota, FL 34234

September is Infant Mortality Awareness Month

To learn more, visit our website: www.healthystartsarasota.org

8  Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc.