Help Me Grow
A child’s early years bring wonder and excitement for families! Children grow and change rapidly from birth to kindergarten entrance and are learning every day.
Some babies and young children need extra help to learn and grow. You may have concerns about your child’s vision, hearing, moving, talking, play, learning, behaving, or your child has a medical diagnosis that affects development.
Services may be available to your child and family through a referral to Help Me Grow ISD 622. A team of early childhood professionals will assess your child as necessary to determine eligibility for services. Parents are partners in the planning and evaluation process.
There are two programs that children may be eligible for depending on their age. These services are made available through a federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, often referred to as IDEA.
Part C of IDEA is the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers (children ages birth-two).
Part B of IDEA is the Preschool Special Education Program and Services (children ages 3-5).
These two programs have different eligibility criteria and programs and services available to your child and family.
If your child is eligible for Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education services, early childhood specialists will work with you to plan the services and supports that would be appropriate for your child and family. These core services may include:
- Determining eligibility
(Screening, Evaluation, and Assessment) - Specialized Instruction
- Parent Training
- Related Services
- Service Coordination
If your child is not eligible for early intervention services, your family may be referred to other community (public or private) agencies for further assistance/support.
Help Me Grow is an interagency initiative of the State of Minnesota (Departments of Education, Health and Human Services) partnering with local service agencies to provide resources about the development of young children for parents and professionals. These resources include information on developmental milestones, YouTube videos, caregiver strategies to support development, screening, and evaluation, how to talk about developmental concerns. The website also includes a link to refer a child for intervention services if there are developmental concerns.