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Congressional
a* Research Service
informing the leislative debate since 1914____________________
Healthy Start: Overview and Policy
Considerations
April 30, 2025
The Healthy Start program (42 U.S.C. §254c-8), currently authorized through FY2025, aims to improve
health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy. The program funds projects in geographic areas with
high infant mortality rates (IMRs) and other adverse perinatal outcomes. Healthy Start emphasizes
flexibility in meeting family- and community-specific needs and funds local organizations to provide
tailored health and social services to women, their partners, infants, and children (up to 18 months). The
program also funds the Healthy Start Technical Assistance and Support Center, which provides training,
resources, and support to grantees.
Healthy Start has historically been administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau within the
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS); the extent to which the announced HHS restructuring plan might affect the program is unclear.
Overview
Healthy Start was established in 1991 as part of a presidential initiative to decrease IMRs. The pilot
program funded 15 community-based sites where IMRs were 1.5 to 2.0 times higher than the national
average. Grantees were tasked with identifying and developing community-based approaches to reduce
IMRs and improve the health and well-being of women, infants, children, and families; such services
included case management, outreach, and health education, among others. The Children's Health Act of
2000 (P.L. 106-310) codified and authorized appropriations for the program through FY2005. The
Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-339) reauthorized appropriations through FY2013
and added additional grant requirements. Most recently, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) reauthorized appropriations through FY2025 and added evaluation
requirements (including a U.S. Government Accountability Office [GAO] report discussed below), among
other amendments. Recent funding is presented in Table 1.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN12550
CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
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