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> From: Anne Birks
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> Subject: HP- reinvestment? -Reply
> Date: Tuesday, July 21, 1998 3:33 PM

Thanks so much for the information Anne.
>
> The Healthiest Babies Possible program is a high risk prenatal program
for women in the City of Toronto.  This program has
> been very effective in reducing the incidence of low birthweight babies
born in this city.  Women served by this program
> come from groups whose rates of low birthweights range from 15 - 20 %.

I am a little confused with your rates, is it that before the program the
areas of the city they lived in had these rates of 15 to 20%? Or is it that
women say that were teens or were on welfare had rates of 15 to 20%?
Specifically where was the rate of 20%?

  Evaluations have shown that with this
> program the rate of low birthweight among single births drops to only
5.9%, which is comparable to the overall City of
> Toronto average of 5.7%.

How many women have been part of the healthy babies program? That is a
pretty dramatic change, is that just the nutrition or are there other
components?  How has this program impacted on the city's overall rate since
its beginning?

There will be a strong link between Public Health and Social Services in
collaborating to ensure that all
> pregnant women who need assistance in achieving a healthy birth outcome
will have access to the program's service.
> For more information about the Healthiest Babies Program in Toronto,
contact Anne Birks, HBP Coordinator,  City of Toronto
> Public Health, (416) 392-7451.

Thank you Anne, you did not answer my question about this being part of the
reinvestment of money saved from welfare payments.
Is this part of Healthy Babies, Healthy Children?

Thanks again,

S


Sherrie Tingley
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