Healthy Beginnings – A Collaborative Approach

In 1993, Healthy Beginnings organized as a faith-based, not-for-profit, medical outreach to under-resourced women in the Greater Cincinnati community. The women served then, as now, were without private medical insurance. Healthy Beginnings is unique, in that, it was conceived as an extension of an existing network of crisis pregnancy centers. Both organizations shared the common goal of reaching, educating, and serving disadvantaged young women from our region that were experiencing unplanned or crisis pregnancies. This population is at risk for inadequate, late, or absent pre-natal care. When Healthy Beginnings opened its door, only public health clinics and a few neighborhood clinics offered prenatal care outside of the major hospitals. All of these clinics were over crowded, and many were inaccessible to patients. In addition, our approach has emphasized the collaboration between pregnancy care centers and other community service organizations such as Every Child Succeeds. These organizations provide social service support, material support, and parenting classes

For information on our president Donna Phelps, please click here.

Timely and Comprehensive Care 

We are a network of seven obstetrical clinics serving under-resourced women in Greater Cincinnati’s inner city, suburbs, and rural communities. Because of our strategic locations, we are available to offer timely prenatal medical care to women who might not otherwise seek medical services. We offer the highest quality medical care in an atmosphere of a private physician’s office.

Healthy Beginnings has a staff of twenty-eight employees including: seven dedicated volunteer physicians, seven volunteer midwives, two nurse practitioners, medical assistants, ultrasound technicians, a dietitian, a clinical counselor, and administrative staff.

We are able to provide medical care to women within five days of a positive pregnancy test. Almost 100% of our patients are termed “at risk” according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service Prenatal Risk Assessment. These factors include: poor nutrition, smoking, drug abuse, late initial visit and missed appointments, under the age of nineteen, gestational diabetes, eclampsia or pre-eclampsia, and domestic violence. Most of our patients are living at or below 150% of the poverty line.

Providing Complete Care: Medical, Emotional, and Spiritual 

Our focused effort is improving the health of mothers and babies by offering: early diagnosis of maternal and fetal disease, on-site diagnostic ultrasounds, drug abuse and counseling intervention, diet and nutrition consults. Medical effectiveness is evidenced by decreased low birth weights, premature deliveries, and infant mortality rates. In 2007, Healthy Beginnings served 1,952 patients. 

Accurate information regarding fetal development and an ultrasound exam are offered to women who want to make an educated decision regarding their choice to abort or carry their infant to term. 

Those patients who ask for guidance with their faith as they confront the necessary changes in their lives that accompany the challenges of parenting, are offered prayer, information, and referrals to local churches.