Global Communities' Healthy Start program provides free prenatal and childbirth education, postpartum support, and breastfeeding assistance for families in San Diego and Riverside Counties, ensuring parents in communities facing greater health risks have the support they need.
For questions about, or referrals to, Healthy Start, please call 858-227-7317.
Do you live in San Bernardino and want to access Healthy Start services?
Our Approach
Our Healthy Start program offers high-quality perinatal services to new and expecting parents in Central and East San Diego County, as well as Riverside County. We focus on ensuring that all parents — especially those living in communities experiencing higher-than-average rates of maternal and infant health complications — have access to the support and resources they need for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
We offer a range of services, including prenatal and childbirth education, postpartum support, and breastfeeding assistance. Our experienced team guides families through every stage of pregnancy and the postpartum period, providing information, resources, and steady support so parents feel confident and prepared.
We recognize that families come from varied backgrounds and circumstances, and we tailor our care to meet each family's specific needs. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Somali, Haitian Creole, and French, helping more families receive services in a language they are comfortable using. We are committed to making our program accessible and community-wide, with services provided at no cost for families with limited financial resources and those living in areas facing greater maternal and infant health challenges.
Services Designed for You
Prenatal Support
Prepare for childbirth and parenthood with one-on-one support from our Perinatal Navigators. We provide guidance and referrals for childbirth education, navigating the health care system, choosing birth facilities, and connecting with midwives, doulas, and other trusted providers.
Postpartum Support and Infant Care
Our team offers support throughout the “fourth trimester" and beyond, helping families navigate postpartum recovery and breastfeeding. Family-based education and health check-ins cover topics such as safe sleep, perinatal mood and anxiety concerns, and how to access a breast pump through insurance.
Specialized Support
We partner with small-practice midwives, doulas, and maternal mental health and breastfeeding specialists whose services are available at no or reduced cost for Healthy Start participants.
Group Activities
Build connection and community through midwife-led prenatal groups, IBCLC-led new parent groups, fathers and partners groups, couples workshops, and more.
Specialty Services
Families can also access our breast pump and blood pressure monitor loan program, schedule a car seat safety inspection with a Navigator, or attend a free infant CPR class.
Favorite topics include:
- Preparing for labor and delivery
- The special role of fathers and partners
- Baby sleep: what is typical and how to get more
- Infant safety and childproofing your home
- Ages and stages: understanding developmental milestones
Your Experience Matters. Get Involved.
There are many ways to get involved with Healthy Start and help create healthier communities across San Diego and Riverside Counties. Whether you want to stay informed, share your ideas, or take part in programs and projects, there is a role that fits your time and interests.
Community Consortium
The Community Consortium focuses on the community and environmental factors that influence birth outcomes and family well-being. Members bring community perspectives into decision-making, helping shape Healthy Start programs and turn ideas into action.
Our Workgroups
Workgroups focus on key issues such as improving health care access, supporting safe and healthy environments, and strengthening financial stability. Join a group to help design and carry out projects that make a difference.
Ready to Connect?
Contact us today for a free consultation and let us know how we can support your perinatal health journey.
Healthy Start changed my life at a time when I felt completely overwhelmed and invisible. I was facing a high-risk pregnancy, financial instability, and emotional exhaustion, and every system I turned to had failed me — until I met Leslie through Healthy Start. Within weeks, I received the support I had been promised for over a year elsewhere: housing assistance, mental health care, a doula, and essential items for my children. More than just services, Healthy Start gave me dignity, restored my hope, and reminded me that I wasn’t alone. It’s not just a program — it’s a lifeline for mothers like me.
They surrounded me with so much love, it was overwhelming. They were very helpful with tips on breastfeeding, and they guided me as sisters, not health care workers.
As a first-time mom without any family to support us and dealing with postpartum depression … my Navigator gave me an opportunity to feel heard and seen … [and] assurance that I was doing a good job with my child.