Real experiences, real change

She works on a national level with Pritzker Children’s Initiative (PCI), National Collaborative of Infants and Toddlers (NCIT), Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), Sorenson Impact Center, the National Association of Counties (NACo), GMMB Advertising, Finn Partners, and McGlynn Leadership to make a collective impact on improving outcomes for the prenatal to three population including substance abuse, housing, and health inequities.  Her passion is to share her lived experience and academic knowledge to conduct transformative work in the community aimed at improving life for families through resiliency building and collaboration.

Flagler College grad turns personal experience into a career helping others.

 The fellowship built a network of strong leaders nationwide who lead community-based efforts focused on the first three years of life when rapid periods of brain development are critical for a child’s later success. She is deeply embedded in her community and works with early childhood leaders, and local policymakers and practitioners to create, implement and sustain ambitious communitywide birth to three action plans to support the healthy development of Volusia Counties’ youngest children. 

There has been a lot of pain in Helena Girouard’s life, more than anyone deserves, but listening to her speak, it’s impossible not to feel the hope she represents for so many. There’s a strength in her voice she may not even know is there. It has to be strong, because most of the people she speaks for don’t yet have a voice, and those who do, may not know what to say. 

“She is helping communities across the state respond better to the CARA Act of 2016 (Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act) by sharing her knowledge of brain science and her first hand lived experience with substance use disorder,” Ms. Morgese said. “In her role as facilitator of the Thrive by Five Collaborative of One Voice for Volusia, she inspires executives from child-care agencies to improve their practices and coordinate more effectively with one another. The Pritzker Fellowship has enabled Helena to grow in her role in our community and support our most important residents – the future.” 

Helena Girouard said she could not have succeeded without the help of numerous charities funded by Women United.

Pictured left to right: Helena Girouard/Baby Steps Daytona Administrator, Kim Brown-Crawford/Baby Steps Daytona Board Member and Intracoastal Bank team member, Pamela Carbiener, MD/Baby Steps Daytona Medical Director, Jennie Joseph/Midwife and Founder of Common Sense Childbirth 

Baby Steps Daytona a new prenatal and postpartum clinic in Daytona Beach

November 14, 2019 marked the kickoff for the newest maternal quality improvement initiative developed by the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC) – the Maternal Opioid Recovery Effort (MORE).

Over 120 representatives from 23 hospitals, 11 Healthy Start Coalitions, several Medicaid managed care organizations and state agencies attended this day-long event held in Orlando.