Health Care Providers & Help Me Grow

Working Together

If your practice utilizes developmental screenings, Help Me Grow can assist with:

  • Follow up assistance (referrals, resources, ongoing support) for families to connect to services
  • Enrollment assistance for families to access services
  • Information about parenting, child wellness, and other topics (eg : parent tip sheets)
  • Training for staff regarding developmental milestones/issues
  • Maintenance of certification credits

If your practice does NOT utilize developmental screenings, in addition to the supports listed previously, Help Me Grow can assist with:

  • Incorporating surveillance in well-child visits, including tools for:
    • Eliciting parental concerns
    • Documenting and maintaining a developmental history
    • Identifying risks and protective factors
  • Conducting developmental screenings
  • Establishing a formal screening process
  • Reimbursement for screenings

Linkage & Support

Steps you can take to inform and support your families and staff on the benefits of Help Me Grow:

  • Post the Help Me Grow flyer (available in multiple languages) in a central, visible area
  • Distribute Help Me Grow materials (eg : display brochures/fliers in the lobby, share materials as part of a welcome package for the agency, exhibit materials during outreach events in the community)
  • Request training for your staff (regarding the Help Me Grow program or general childhood development/milestones)
  • Submit a referral form on behalf of a family who you think would benefit from Help Me Grow services
  • Listing Help Me Grow in materials regarding community resources and programs
  • Asking for information about developmental screening tools to use at your practice
  • Request details about maintenance of certification credits

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

AAP recommendations for developmental screenings outline expectations for:

  • Continuous developmental surveillance (at all visits)
  • Periodic developmental screening (at minimum)
    • 9 months
    • 18 months (including for autism)
    • 24 months
  • Further medical and developmental evaluations if delays identified
  • Early developmental intervention
  • Chronic-condition management

Health Care Provider Pathway

The following diagram was developed by the Help Me Grow National Center to explain the feedback loop between health providers and the Help Me Grow initiative.