CALHOUN COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Calhoun Intermediate School District’s Great Start Collaborative is announcing the official launch of Help Me Grow Calhoun.
Officials say their “no wrong door” approach aims to connects families with children, from birth through age 5, access free developmental screening tools and support strategies, local resources, and service providers so children are developmentally on track and healthy up through the time they enter school.
They go onto say that Help Me Grow will also help families navigate what can be a fragmented and challenging network of existing services, working with local programs to ensure that children are connected to services as early as possible.
“We are truly grateful to our families and community partners for coming together to bring the Help Me Grow to Calhoun County and ensure families have what they need to support their child’s developmental health,” said Dr. Peter Chang, President/CEO of Grace Health. “Grace Health partnered with the Calhoun Intermediate School District one year ago to pilot this important effort. We’ve learned that Help Me Grow Calhoun facilitates access to services and programs available in our community for families by equipping both those providers who interact with young children and parents/caregivers with the tools they need to track and support each child’s developmental progress. We are excited to be part of this collaborative effort and thrilled with the initial positive response we received from our partners during the Help Me Grow Calhoun pilot phase.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, one in six children, ages 3-17, have one or more developmental delays and disabilities.
“Our community has committed to being responsive and supportive to all families with young children. That commitment led the Early Childhood teams at the Calhoun Intermediate School District to pursue the Help Me Grow Model as a way to make connections stronger, give families the opportunity to talk with a care coordinator directly and have access to many free developmental growth resources and support. We are grateful to all our community partners and look forward to continuing to learn and grow with our community to offer the resources and support needed to make Calhoun County the best place to raise and support all children,” said Erika Burkhardt, Assistant Superintendent Early Childhood Services Calhoun Intermediate School District.
Families and providers can connect with Help Me Grow Calhoun through a call center at 269-223-9694, voice & text. The call center is staffed by a team of trained care managers who assist families with navigating the county’s complex system of care. The call center is available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30
p.m.
Help Me Grow Calhoun also has an online hub at helpmegrowcalhoun.org that offers information and resources about infant and young child developmental milestones, screenings, and community services.
In addition, Help Me Grow Calhoun is working with local community partners and health plans to make sure all children are screened for developmental concerns in a timely manner, according to a schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Key community partners include Grace Health, local pediatricians, Community Action/Head Start, local school districts, and Integrated Health Partners.
