Giving moms, babies a healthy start

In 1992, when then Gov. Lawton Chiles signed legislation establishing the 32 Healthy Start coalitions to oversee the new program for all of Florida’s 67 counties, he could not have imagined the impact the program would have on maternal and child health.

Healthy Start was created when Chiles and his wife issued a call to arms to community partners around the state to build local coalitions in an effort to bring down Florida’s infant mortality rate.

For the complete story, see the Aug. 9 issue of Navarre Press or subscribe online.