Help Me Grow

Help Me Grow (HMG) is a system that helps children and families find the supports they need to reach their full potential.

In Connecticut, Help Me Grow serves as a pathway to access reliable information, resources, referrals, and community services related to children’s health, development, behavior, and learning. Over the past three decades, HMG CT has supported thousands of pregnant women, parents with young children up to age 5, caregivers, social service agencies, child health providers, and early care and education providers.

Who we work with and support

• Families and children
• Pediatricians and other health care providers
• Early childhood educators
• Community service providers

How Help Me Grow works

In Connecticut, lots of community resources are available to families and children. These include health and nutrition, child development, early intervention, parenting tips, and more. But many families don’t know where to start.

Help Me Grow helps organize and strengthen that network of community programs and resources. We make it easier:

• For families to access local community programs, resources, and services
• For these local community programs and state organizations to collaborate with each other

What we do

Maintain a network of providers and services

Help Me Grow manages a directory of available services — both for families and professionals. We also connect service providers to each other to strengthen our network.

Connect families to care coordinators through 2-1-1 Child Development

Most families access Help Me Grow through 2-1-1 Child Development. This specialized unit in United Way of CT supports children’s health growth and development — starting from pregnancy. Families can call 800-505-7000 to talk to one of our care coordinators or visit 211 Child Development’s Website.

Developmental screenings through the Sparkler App

Parents and providers can access the Sparkler app and answer some questions about a child’s development. Download Sparkler from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Use the code CT to register in Connecticut!

Don’t have a mobile phone or tablet? Contact 2-1-1 Child Development and they can help you get the assessment in another format.

4 components of Help Me Grow

Centralized access point

Key activities

• Specialized child development line (2-1-1 Child Development)
• Linking callers to services and follow-up from providers
• Researching resources for families
• Real-time maintenance of early childhood HMG Resource Directory

Family & community outreach

Key activities

• Engaging community partners
• Hosting or participating in networking events for community-based providers
• Hosting community events and trainings
• Marketing

Child health care provider outreach

Key activities

• Creating physician champions
• Training on developmental surveillance and screening
• Training referral and linkage through HMG
• Closing the feedback loop

Data collection and analysis

Key activities

• Annual reporting to National Center
• Data sharing across partners
• Continuous quality improvement
• Creating community change through data 

Help Me Grow Advisory Committee

The Help Me Grow Advisory Committee is composed of a diverse early childhood workforce across various agencies and programs. The advisory group meets on a monthly basis (minus summer months) to learn about a specific topic, network, and to discuss strengths and challenges in a solution-based approach towards early detection of all children in our state.

History of Help Me Grow

Help Me Grow (HMG) launched as a pilot in Hartford, CT, in 1997. The promising results led to statewide replication funded by the Connecticut legislature. HMG CT is an affiliate of the National Help Me Grow Network, which is a national model with affiliate members across 30 states. From 2002 to 2013, HMG CT identified at risk children and linked them to services. Learn more about the National Help Me Grow Network.

In 2013, Governor Malloy established the Office of Early Childhood, integrating HMG into the early childhood system. This was achieved through partnership with the Office of Early Childhood, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Education, and a call center at Connecticut United Way/2-1-1 Child Development, involving pediatric primary care, early care and education, families, and community providers.

Resources

Print material for providers

• Help Me Grow Campaign Guide — This pamphlet explains the Help Me Grow campaign and how providers can answer developmental questions from parents. 

Print materials for parents

• Developmental Screening Brochure (English/Spanish) — This brochure includes information about CDC’s milestone tracker app and an enrollment form for the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® Third Edition (ASQ-3™). 

• Help Me Grow Growth Chart (English/Spanish) — This printable wall chart highlights key developmental milestones for children ages 1 to 5.