Cook County Department of Public Health launched the Healthy Beginnings maternal and child health program on the eve of Maternal Health Awareness Day. The Healthy Beginnings program will deliver home-based nursing care, case management, and wraparound services and support to pregnant individuals and their infants across suburban Cook County to reduce preventable maternal and infant illnesses and deaths. Healthy Beginnings connects public health nurses with families early in pregnancy and continues support through the infant’s first year. Public health nurses will provide home-based prenatal and postpartum education, help manage chronic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, and offer guidance on newborn care, safe sleep, infant feeding, and recommended immunizations.  Services are free and open to the public regardless of income or insurance status. Priority outreach is focused on municipalities with the highest burden of maternal and infant risks, including Cicero, Berwyn, Arlington Heights, Oak Lawn, Calumet City, and several others. People can access the program by contacting Cook County Department of Public Health directly or by referral from their health care provider. For more information, visit www.cookcountypublichealth.org.