Help Me Grow System

Help Me Grow is a system of supports for pregnant individuals, caregivers with new babies, and families with young children with developmental delays and disabilities. Services and supports are provided statewide through Home Visiting, Early Intervention, developmental screenings, and connections to community resources.

Central Intake and Referral (CIR) serves as the single point of entry for the Help Me Grow system of supports. The statewide CIR system reaches out to families, referral sources, and providers to increase quality referrals and connect families to the services and supports they need to thrive.

Bright Beginnings is the statewide Help Me Grow CIR contractor through the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, subcontracts with six regional partners to support the work of CIR, and covers the Northeastern region including Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, and Lorain counties.

Understanding Help Me Grow

Help Me Grow operates under the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Making a referral to Help Me Grow is the first and easy step for parents who have questions or concerns about their pregnancy, infant, or child.

Statewide CIR regional partners develop and maintain relationships with providers, potential referral sources and other community stakeholders to support families prenatally through five years old.

Families and other referral sources across the state can connect with Help Me Grow through a statewide or local phone number, fax number, web referral form, or email address to access services. Regardless of how a family enters the program, they will get connected to the options that best meet their needs and that are available in their community.

Help Me Grow Programs and Services

Connect with caring and professional home visitors who provide information and resources that support the health of your baby and your entire family.	Concerned about your child’s development? Act early! Services are designed based on your child’s specific needs and provided where they live, play and spend their day.
Receive a free in-home nurse visit within a few weeks of welcoming your newborn, offered through the evidence-based program, Family Connects Ohio.	Understand exactly how your child is developing for FREE with the Sparkler: Play for Parenting app and its built-in Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) screening tool.
Find pregnancy and early childhood resources and providers with Help Me Grow’s interactive Community Resource Directory – a catalog of family support services throughout Ohio.

Sign up for Help Me Growor call (216) 930-3322, (440) 389-3322, or (800) 755-GROWor email hmgreferrals@helpmegrow.org.

Our Outreach Team

Debra Adams Evans Outreach Specialist devans@brightbeginningskids.org	Deanna Bottar Outreach Specialist dbottar@brightbeginningskids.org
Cami Cajiao Medina Outreach Specialist-Bilingual ccajiao@brightbeginningskids.org	Rachel Napolitano Community Liaison rnapolitano@brightbeginningskids.org