HHS, Maternal and
Child Health Bureau (MCHB)

Healthy Start Program​

 

• The Problem
  The MCHB Healthy Start Program works to improve health outcomes for women and children enrolled in 100 grantee programs throughout the U.S., targeting issues such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), preterm births, and low birth weight. To better assess the quality and effectiveness of the Healthy Start Program, MCHB required monthly client-level data that would reveal information about the needs and characteristics of its funded population on an individual level.
   

• Our Solution
  We built a role-based database application that enabled grantees to submit client-level and community-level data (such as socioeconomic and demographic data; and health, mental health, and social services outcomes.) In order to meet HRSA’s aggressive delivery deadline, we worked rapidly to gather requirements from stakeholders, including government users and grantees. With intensive stakeholder involvement, DSFederal was able to build an entirely new system, from start to delivery, in 90 days, achieving 100% customer satisfaction.
   

• The Results
  The Healthy Start system allows HRSA program officers and leadership to analyze real-time client-level data for the first time ever—ultimately helping to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities for more than 80,000 mothers and children.