History of the Help Me Grow (HMG) National Center 

In 1997, the nation’s first Help Me Grow (HMG) system launched in Hartford, Connecticut.  Based on the strength of its results and the targeted advocacy efforts of founding director Dr. Paul Dworkin and his team, the Connecticut system expanded statewide in 2002. In 2017, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services endorsed the Connecticut HMG model as a centralized intake, screening, and referral system that fosters cooperation amongst family support, early care and education, and health care providers. Currently, more than 28 states are included in the HMG Affiliate Network.  

The HMG Affiliate Network receives ongoing technical assistance from the HMG National Center to implement the HMG national model aimed at creating cross-sector systems that give families equitable access to the resources they need when they need them.

A Better Future Starts with Help Me Grow

• The early years present incredible opportunity to build a strong foundation as the brain rapidly develops during the first five years of life.
• All children benefit from an organized system of community resources to help them thrive, like health care, quality early learning experiences, healthy nutrition, and parent support.
• A network of community resources works like a power grid. When the grid functions well, families can plug in to an organized flow of resources and easily access the ones they need.
• HMG strengthens the grid by maintaining a current directory of available services and connecting service providers to each other to create an interconnected system. 
   

A Centralized Access Point assists families and professionals in connecting children to the grid of community resources that help them thrive.

When potential concerns are spotted early on, they can be easier to address. Child Health Care Provider Outreach supports early detection and intervention efforts and connects medical providers to the grid of community resources to best support families. 

Family & Community Outreach builds parent and provider understanding of healthy child development, supportive services available to families in the community, and how both are important to improving children's outcomes. 

To make sure the resource grid is working effectively, Data Collection & Analysis supports evaluation, helps identify systemic gaps, bolsters advocacy efforts, and guides quality improvement.

History of the NYS Help Me Grow (HMG)

In 2011, communities in New York State began adopting the national, evidence-based Help Me Grow model to advance the health, well-being, and success of children, prenatally through age five. NYS HMG ensures that all children have the best possible start in life by connecting them to resources that help them reach their full potential. By supporting our state’s young children today, we promote healthier and more prosperous communities tomorrow. 

Help Me Grow New York State’s Goals 

• Make developmental and social emotional screening universally available.
• Provide continuous support for families to navigate and access essential services for their child’s development.
• Promote strong families by increasing parents’ knowledge of child development, resilience in times of need, and capacity to be their child’s best advocate.
• Build a more efficient and effective system of early childhood support so that at-risk children do not fall through the cracks.