Its mission is to focus primarily on the reduction of infant mortality and low birth weight babies in Southwestern Pennsylvania in such a way as to make valuable use of its resources, preserve its flexibility and continue to offer seamless services with the intent of improving the quality of life of infants, toddlers, youths, siblings, parents, and grandparents.
Working toward her goal, Sirockman said the 16-member Board of Directors and staff hopes to improve their capability of raising foundation and private donor funding. One of the first responses to the outreach has resulted in a near $50,000 contribution from the Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Pittsburgh Chapter. Alexis James Steals, president and Carlotta K. Burgess, immediate past president recently presented Sirockman and Healthy Start staff with the check.
The presidents said they were happy to make the donation to such a worthwhile organization as Healthy Start. Jack and Jill of America is a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 to19, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. One of 230 chapters of the national group, representing more than 40,000 family members, the chapter strives to serve the Greater Pittsburgh area through community service and fundraising. Each chapter plans annual programming activities guided under the current national theme, “The Power to Make a Difference.” Through service projects, Jack and Jill of America create a medium of contact for children to stimulate their growth and development.
According to Steals, who is also a Healthy Start board member, the Pittsburgh chapter’s signature event is the annual Presentation Ball. The purpose of the three-fold event is for it to serve as a major fundraising event for a local charity and for the Jack and Jill of America Foundation. Secondly it recognizes high school juniors and seniors for their accomplishments in the classroom and in the community and it allows the Chapter to showcase the organization to the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Elated about the bestowment, Sirockman said the funds will be utilized to assist in meeting the costs of providing home visiting services to over 1,000 pregnant women and parents of young toddlers in the Allegheny County area.
“Our home visiting services have the goal of helping needy families prevent the deaths of their babies during their first year of life,” she said.
Sirockman pointed out that 2011 statistics indicate that 20 percent of all births in the County were African American, but 45percent of infant deaths occurred in the African American community. “Due to this disparity, Healthy Start has a special interest in addressing these problems.” She also noted that during that same time period 13.73 of every 1,000 Black babies died before their first birthdays while the death rate for the entire population of Allegheny County was 4.75 per1, 000 infants.
Established in 1991, Healthy Start, Inc. currently serves 104 projects in 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County project area was one of only fifteen national sites originally included in the 1991-1996 demonstration phase of the Healthy Start program.
Thrilled to be working as the new executive director of Healthy Start, Sirockman said she is excited to have the opportunity to provide services that improve birth outcomes. “I believe that there is no more important work, or higher calling than supporting the birth of healthy babies and helping to nurture and sustain families.”
A Pittsburgh native and University of Pittsburgh graduate where she earned an MPH in Maternal and Child Health services, Sirockman says she has devoted her profession to women and children’s social and public health services. During her career she has worked with the EPSDT program, teen pregnancy, child welfare, foster care, adoption, family planning, and the WIC program.
While fundraising is a major responsibility of her position, Sirockman said she is also focusing on building strategic alliances in the community. Already depending on the Healthy Start Community Action Network, a community group consisting of individuals, and organizations inclusive of families, community leaders and organizations from the private, public and nonprofit sectors she saod she realizes that resources and volunteers from groups like the Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Pittsburgh Chapter are essential.
The CAN plays an advisory role and serves as the primary liaison between Healthy Start and the community, acting as regional advocates for the project’s initiatives. Through the involvement of the CAN, numerous partnerships have emerged and are being strengthened, and have created a network of service collaboration, innovation and change in the way service providers do business.
Sirockman said she is in the process of establishing partnerships with the Allegheny County Jail Program for Female Offenders and Allegheny County Juvenile Court. “In this way I am hoping to position us to better serve moms in the criminal justice, substance abuse treatment and child welfare systems who are at really high risk for infant mortality.” She says she also sees a great need to reach out to the new immigrant population in Pittsburgh.
Information about Healthy Start can be obtained from all social media outlets, on their website; www.healthystartpittsburgh.org, by calling 412- 247-4009 or the helpline number 412-247-1000.
About Post Author
