08/07/2025
**HEALTHY START NEEDS YOUR HELP!**
The President’s draft FY 2026 Budget, called a “pass back” budget, was recently circulated to the public. Along with other programs, it proposes the elimination of Healthy Start, a program with an over 30-year track record in reducing infant mortality, improving maternal health, and supporting stronger families by providing services such as: prenatal and post-partum care, screening and referral to services for depression and interpersonal violence, care coordination to link parents with social services and educational programming, and public health and clinical services.
The loss of this funding will be particularly devastating for areas with a high burden of poor maternal and child health outcomes- especially rural Healthy Start communities (about 25% of Healthy Start communities) that are dramatically underprepared to address obstetrical emergencies and heavily impacted by hospital closures and a lack of sustainability for existing facilities.
Healthy Start needs the help of its families, community and partners. This includes educating the public about the value of Healthy Start. You can make your voice heard by contacting your Senators and Representatives (links below) and raising awareness and support around Healthy Start.
TOOLS:
Find your Senator: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Find your Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives
SUGGESTED LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN CONTACTING LEGISLATORS: FY 26
Hello Representative/Senator _________:
I live in ______ and I am a constituent. I do not normally contact elected officials, but I am reaching out today because improving maternal health and birth outcomes for babies and their families is important to me as I am sure it is for Rep/Sen ________.
The President’s Budget Proposal and supporting agency documents eliminate the Healthy Start program, which is funded through the annual appropriations process in the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill. This program supports (state name of your Healthy Start program) which provides life-saving health care services, care coordination, education, outreach and referrals to pregnant women and their families—all with the goal of reducing infant mortality, maternal mortality and poor birth outcomes which costs lives as well as scarce public resources. This program, which is funded annually at $145 million, makes common sense. We can invest resources now to ensure that pregnant women and parenting families receive the care they need to have healthy babies who can thrive, or we can pay more later to address poor maternal and birth outcomes. Our babies deserve to thrive.
I urge you to ensure the full funding of Healthy Start in appropriations legislation. Can I count on the Rep/Sen to support Healthy Start? Who can I follow-up with to send information about Healthy Start as the appropriations process unfolds over the next several weeks? (ASK FOR THE NAME AND E-MAIL OF THE STAFFER WHO HANDLES MATERNAL HEALTH AND APPROPRIATIONS)
**If you are prohibited from making a specific “ask,” you can close with the following:
Healthy Start is important to our local maternal health care system and community. I would be happy to follow up with the Rep. Sen’s staff to provide information and understand the Rep/Sen’s position on this important program. May I have the name of the staffer who handles maternal health and appropriations?
Thank you for your time and please thank the Rep/Sen for his/her work.
