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Systems Committee
The Healthy Start Systems Committee was established to bring together Healthy Start providers and other providers of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services on a monthly basis. Issues within the Healthy Start system and the larger MCH system are discussed and resolved at these meetings. The Committee serves to improve linkages among home visitation providers; thus, programs such as Healthy Families Hillsborough, Parents as Teachers, the Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Service and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program are represented at monthly meetings. The Department of Children and Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency is represented as well. A Centre for Women/Family Services Association-Choices for Change representative is present to respond to issues that surface regarding substance abuse intervention services. Systems Committee recommendations are documented monthly and feed into data and information presented to Healthy Start's Plan Development Committee (PDC). For example, Systems-driven discussions about the attrition and refusal rates of families most at-risk for abuse and/or neglect led to recommendations to PDC to approve the creation of an "Engagement Specialist" to be available to new parents in a hospital setting.
Children's Medical Services (CMS), the Early Intervention Program (EIP) and Parents as Partners are currently being targeted for representation on the Systems Committee. Additionally being sought is a representative of the community mental health system and city/county housing services.
The Provider Relations Committee merged with the Systems Committee and brings together providers of prenatal, labor and delivery and pediatric care in our community. Additional representation includes the Medicaid Health Maintenance Organizations, Drug Abuse Comprehensive Coordinating Office (DACCO), Suncoast Community Health Services and the Healthy Start Specialty Nurse Team. The committee helps strategize ways to strengthen provider usage, understanding and perception of the Healthy Start program and other MCH services in the community. This includes multi-modal communications regarding MCH data, Healthy Start Risk Screening and provider training opportunities. Provider Relations recommendations are documented monthly and submitted to PDC when appropriate for resource allocation.
The Systems Committee meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. at the Coalition offices.
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