Participant Rights & Responsibilities

Thank you for enrolling in the Healthy Start! We are excited to be working with you and your family. Our goal is to ensure your baby gets the best possible start in life and that you have the support and services you need.

The following information on the program – highlighting our respective roles and responsibilities – will contribute to our success:

  • Healthy Start services are free and voluntary.
  • Your Healthy Start worker will provide education, screening, support and work to connect you to services you need in the community. Services will be provided to you in person at a comfortable, convenient place, such as your home. You will be told within 48 hours if there is a change in your Healthy Start worker.
  • You and your Healthy Start worker will work together on your care.
  • Healthy Start is based on a supportive relationship between staff and participating families. You will be treated with respect and dignity.
  • As a program participant, you are expected to keep all of your appointments. If you can’t make it, you should notify your Healthy Start worker at least 24 hours in advance. This allows the staff to make visits with other mothers.  
  • You have the right to ask for more information on any services you are offered. You can request or refuse services offered anytime during your participation in the program. Your continued participation in the program will not be affected by a specific request or refusal.
  • All services, conversations, and records in Healthy Start are private and confidential. We will not share any information about you without your written permission, consistent with state and federal laws.
  • You should be able to read and understand all information given to you. You can request services and information in your language or provided in a way you can access if you are sight or hearing limited, or have other special needs.
  • If you are not satisfied with your treatment or the services provided, you have the right to submit a complaint or grievance through your local Healthy Start Coalition. The steps for submitting a complaint are posted on the coalition website.
  • All complaints about the quality of services will be sent to the Healthy Start Coalition Executive Director within the same day (or following day if submitted after 4 p.m.). These complaints will be sent to the funding organization (Healthy Start/MomCare Network) within two business days.
  • You can obtain information about the Healthy Start program anytime by calling this toll-free number: 1-855-889.1090 .

The Healthy Start program is funded by the Florida Department of Health and the state Agency for Health Care Administration.