Arizona Health Start Program

Arizona Health Start Program is a statewide model that employs community health workers (CHWs) to engage at-risk, low-income, and racially and ethnically diverse pregnant and/or postpartum women with children under the age of 24 months. The model aims to increase pregnant women’s use of prenatal services; reduce the incidence of very low birthweight babies; increase the number of children receiving age-appropriate immunizations by age 24 months; and increase families’ awareness of the importance of preventative health care, good nutritional habits, and developmental assessments. CHWs conduct monthly prenatal and postpartum home visits until the enrolled child’s second birthday. The CHWs assist families with obtaining early and consistent prenatal care, provide prenatal and postpartum education, inform families about inter-conception health, promote timely immunizations and developmental assessments for the children, refer families to other needed services, and advocate for access to health and human development services.