Healthy Start Program

Situation: Every parent-to-be hopes for a healthy baby.  Prenatal screenings

are a critical part of ensuring the healthiest pregnancy possible, as they help identify and prevent health problems at critical stages of pregnancy.  To facilitate healthy pregnancies, the Florida Department of Health hired RBOA to launch a campaign that would encourage expectant mothers to ask their health care providers to  complete a risk screening form that identifies risk factors during pregnancy.

Action: RBOA launched a campaign that included earned media, viral marketing and community involvement components, targeting two key audiences: Florida women of childbearing age and Florida healthcare providers.

Outcome: The prenatal screening campaign garnered significant media coverage, including feature stories and broadcast interviews with media outlets from every major market in the state.  The  materials developed on behalf of the campaign are still used today to support an ongoing, self-sustaining grassroots advocacy effort involving 32 Healthy Start coalitions statewide.