Help Me Grow System

The Help Me Grow National Center recently created a document that outlined main core components and structural requirements for the Help Me Grow System. The Help Me Grow system is a way that connects children at-risk for developmental and behavioral problems with services they need. It builds on simple pre-existing resources and solutions that are effective for children and their families. Through ongoing analysis and data, barriers of information system can be identified.

The Help Me Grow system is divided into four core components and three structure requirements that easily outline the aspects of the system. The four core components include, child health care provider outreach, community outreach, centralized telephone access, and data collection. Child health care providers are included in this list since they are the ones who identify children at risk for developmental delay and work with families to analyze children’s developmental status. Community outreach encourages the outside community to form participation in the Help Me Grow system and markets these services. It also allows easier accessibility to information and resource to ensure that all information is up-to-date. Centralized telephone access connects children and families to services and care coordination centers. This service provides a direct access point to information and identifying needs of families and care providers. Lastly, data collection allows people to understand all aspects of the Help Me Grow through analysis of information and identification of gaps and barriers.

The three structural requirements are organizing entity, statewide expansion, and continuous quality improvement. The organizing entity allows for administrative and fiscal oversight and helps identify partners into leadership that will help guide Help Me Grow. Statewide expansion requires states to have a statewide vision of Help Me Grow in order to facilitate its success. The third structural requirement, continuous quality improvement, analyzes successes and limitations in these programs as more information is understood through this system.

To learn more about the Help Me Grow system and these core components and structural requirements visit www.helpmegrownational.org. Detailed information for each outlined point is also provided.