Free Health Support for Pregnant People and Families with Infants
South Phoenix Healthy Start is a federally funded, community-based, family support program designed to increase the number of infants that live and remain healthy past one year of age. This free program helps ensure you and your family are healthy and continue to thrive by providing a comprehensive list of offerings. This program offers all their services for free, with no income guidelines.
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Benefits of Healthy Start:
- Community Resources and Referrals
- Doula Services
- Behavioral Health Services
- Monthly/bi-monthly Support Visits
- Participant Empowerment Coalition
- Support Groups
- Perinatal Health Education (Childbirth, Breastfeeding support, Child development and screenings, Fatherhood, co-parenting, etc.)
Eligibility requirements of Healthy Start:
- A person must be pregnant
- Mother and/or father of a child 0-18 months old
How To Sign Up
- Select your county below to find the Healthy Start representative in your area.
- Email or call the representative and let him or her know you’re interested. He or she will help you determine if you’re eligible and give you more information about registering.
Get Care for the Most Vulnerable: High Risk Pregnant People and Neonatal Intensive Care Infants
The High Risk Perinatal Program (HRPP) is a comprehensive, statewide system of services dedicated to reducing maternal and infant mortality. The 3 components of the program include:
1) Maternal and Neonatal Transport Services that provide medical consultation and case management related to treatment/stabilization and, if needed, maternal and/or neonatal transport to available higher level(s) of care.
2) Hospital and Inpatient Physician Services that provide comprehensive, developmentally and risk appropriate care to critically ill infants within a hospital setting that is caring and supportive to the infant and their extended family.
3) Community Nursing Services that facilitates the transition of the child and family from the Newborn Intensive Care Unit to their home and community.
The program provides a safety net for Arizona families, to ensure the most appropriate level of care surrounding birth as well as early identification and support for the child’s developmental needs.
Benefits of HRPP
- Assure that high risk pregnant people and critically ill newborns receive timely access to appropriate medical care without regard to geographic location or ability to pay
- Provide interventions which result in the reduction of infant and maternal deaths and improved medical and developmental outcomes
- Provide support to families who have been impacted by the birth of a critically ill infant
- Assist families in the development of a secure and nurturing environment which will increase their child’s ability to learn and grow
- Connect families with early intervention services which can increase the child’s chances for optimal development and learning
Program Eligibility
- Babies that have spent 120 hours or longer in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit;
- A parent or a baby that is being transported to a higher level of care;
- Babies born and within 96 hours of birth the baby is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit;
- A baby being transported within 50 miles from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to their home.
Parenting Help from Healthcare Professionals
Children don’t come with an instructional guide. So it’s only normal that new parents face challenges and doubt. In times like these, someone is here to help you. Nurse-Family Partnership is a community healthcare program that will connect you with a nurse home visitor. Through the visits, you will learn how you can best care for your child. Our goal is to help you become confident and assured in your parenting skills, so you and your child can look forward to a better future.
Nurse-Family Partnership is a free, evidence-based program designed to help pregnant people become successful, self-reliant parents. Our home visitor nurses start working with first-time parents while they are pregnant to prepare them for the challenges and the joys of parenthood. We help you develop new skills and feel confident in taking care of your child’s physical and emotional needs.
Benefits of Nurse-Family Partnership:
- This is an evidence-based program proven to work.
- We provide you with a variety of free educational resources.
- We build on the parenting skills you already have to help you become self-reliant.
Eligibility Requirements for the Nurse-Family Partnership:
- Prenatal first-time parents less than 28 weeks pregnant.
- Not enrolled in any other home visiting program.
- Income-based requirements based on household size.
Build a Healthy Family by Being a Healthy Parent
Everyone who is having a baby can feel overwhelmed. It’s important to know that it’s ok to ask for help, especially if you’re experiencing a number of challenges. Healthy Families Arizona is a free program that helps mothers and fathers become the best parents they can be. A Home Visitor will get to know you, and connect you with services based on your specific situation. The Home Visitor will work with you as needed throughout the first five years of your child’s life. Our goal is to build on your parenting skills and support you in your desire to make your family stronger.
Healthy Families Arizona is a free program designed to help pregnant people as well as mothers and fathers with their newborn baby and until the child is 2 years old. Our home visitors will help parents build the skills necessary to raise healthy, happy children and create a strong family. Healthy Families Arizona can help you if you feel you experience any barriers or obstacles to successful parenting.
Benefits of Healthy Families Arizona:
- We link families with community resources, health care, childcare, and housing.
- We help parents obtain education and employment.
- We provide child development, nutrition and safety education.
- We teach and support positive parent-child interaction.
- We provide developmental screenings to infants and referrals to resources if developmental delays are identified.
- We provide emotional support and encouragement to parents.
Eligibility Requirements of Healthy Families Arizona:
- Pregnant people and parents of newborns who face challenges that might be an obstacle to successful parenting.
- The infant must be under three months of age at enrollment.
- Mothers or fathers must show that the services are needed.
- The family must reside within the program’s target service area.
Help for Low-Income Pregnant People and Children (age birth to five)
Head Start (for children 3-5) and Early Head Start (pregnant people and children 0-3) has a variety of program and service delivery options including Center Base, Home-Base, Combination (Home & Center) or Family Child Care. Each program incorporates an individualized approach to high-quality services for low-income pregnant people and children age birth to five. Families receive support and guidance from Head Start staff to become self-sufficient.
We understand how challenging it can be to be a parent. Early Head Start is a free parenting program that helps low-income parents and their children with home visits, education, and health screenings. Early Head Start can also help children who are in foster care, children experiencing homelessness, and children with a disability. We offer resources for pregnant people and help for new parents.
Benefits of Early Head Start:
- home visits
- child development education
- health screening and follow-up care
- parenting guidance and education
- services for special needs children
Eligibility requirements of Early Head Start:
- Children between the ages of 0-5 of families that meet the federal poverty guidelines and pregnant people who meet the federal poverty guidelines
- Children who are foster children
- Children who are homeless
- Children who are disabled (have IFSP or IEP)*
Personalized Care for Pregnant People and New Mothers
If you are expecting or a parent facing challenges, it’s important to know that someone can help you. Arizona Health Start is here to help. Our home visitors can connect you with a variety of community organizations that provide health care, education, parenting resources, and application assistance for other programs. We will get to know you and your family, so we can help you get the resources you need. We understand your culture, because we live in your community. We also understand what you’re going through, because we’ve helped families just like yours.
If you are expecting or have a child under the age of 2 and are interested in having additional support in accessing health care, education, or assistance programs, Arizona Health Start can help. The program is available throughout the state and is free for participants. Expecting parents and families with children enrolled in the program receive additional support such as navigating access to prenatal care; family medical care; and assistance in applying for AHCCCS, WIC and other programs that help you and your family thrive.
Benefits of Arizona Health Start:
- You’ll gain access to appropriate prenatal care for pregnant people.
- We provide access to appropriate family medical care.
- We’ll give application assistance for AHCCCS, WIC and other programs.
- Women will receive a health screening.
- We provide developmental screenings for children ages birth to age two.
Eligibility Requirements of Arizona Health Start:
- Must have primary residence located within the Contractor’s Program Site targeted service area.
- Pregnant and/or postpartum women with children under the age of 2.
- And one or more social risk factors.
Build a Healthy Family by Being a Healthy Parent