Overview of Help Me Grow Services
The Help Me Grow (HMG) program is a statewide child development program and an initiative of the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Family and Children First. The HMG program provides services to expectant parents, newborns, and infants and toddlers with or at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities until their third birthday. All of these services support the child and the child's family with the goal of enhancing the child's development. The HMG program is designed with the family's goals and concerns in mind and is voluntary.

Help Me Grow offers...

Prenatal Home Visits
A home visitor will partner with the family to give information about childbirth and a new baby, community resources, and ensure the mother has a primary care physician.

Newborn Home Visit
A home visit from a registered nurse to all first time and teen families in Cuyahoga County is a great way to say "Welcome Home" to a newborn. At the visit, the nurse checks the baby's and mom's health; offers valuable parenting information; connects the family to helpful community resources; and answers any questions about newborn care.

Ongoing Home Visits
Ongoing Home Visits assist families with infants and toddlers with meeting goals and needs. Home Visiting services can: help to ensure the child is reaching developmental milestones and receiving immunizations; help locate helpful community resources; and provide parenting education and information.

Developmental Screenings and Evaluations
Help Me Grow also offers developmental screenings and evaluations to determine if a child is eligible for ongoing special services because of a developmental delay. The global evaluation is offered at no cost to the family. This evaluation can take place in the family's home. With the parents, a team of professionals will assess all the infant's or toddler's developmental areas (cognitive, physical, communication, social/emotional and adaptive).

Service Coordination/ Individualized Family Service Plan
Service Coordinators work with families receiving Help Me Grow services to help them navigate the choices of services. The Service Coordinator works in partnership with families supporting and recognizing them as central decision-makers about their family. Some of the duties of Service Coordinators include facilitating and participating in the Individualized Family Service Plan (the family's goals, needs and services); coordinating the delivery of available services; facilitating development of family goals; and coordinating with medical and health providers.

Specialized Services
Children who have a developmental delay or disability are linked to a variety of specialized services in the community. These services could include: occupational, physical, speech/language therapies; developmental or specialized instruction; health, nutrition, hearing, vision, counseling, and assistive technology. Payment for these services varies according to family resources and needs.

Family Support
Family Support in Help Me Grow provides families with the opportunity to interact with other families who are now or have received ongoing services from Help Me Grow, and who may share similar experiences and concerns.

If you have further questions about services, please contact Help Me Grow at 216-736-4300.

Help Me Grow of Cuyahoga County
Central Intake and Referral Site
8111 Quincy Ave, #344
Cleveland, OH 44104
216-698-7500
216-391-6106 (FAX)

Melissa Manos, Executive Director
E-mail your questions to: hmgoutreach@helpmegrow.org

For more information about Ohio Help Me Grow
1-800-755-GROW (4769)
www.ohiohelpmegrow.org