Break out the hot apple cider and rain boots – fall is here! As you can see from our news below, there are a number of efforts across the state that focus on building better health outcomes for children and families. Read our newsletter to learn more.

Help Me Grow Washington News
Good News About Universal Developmental Screening!

Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is standing up a new data system to track developmental screening in children birth through age 5 in our state. Strong Start: Washington State’s Universal Developmental Screening System is anticipated to launch in January 2022. Parents/legal guardians and licensed healthcare providers will be able to access and enter information, helping to avoid missed or duplicated screenings or “falling through the cracks” on needed early intervention. DOH plans to expand user access to early childhood professionals in future versions.
 
For more information, visit the Universal Developmental Screening webpage, or contact Marilyn Dold at Marilyn.Dold@doh.wa.gov.
Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap Now Available

The Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap is an annual resource for the field grounded in the science of the developing child and rigorous policy evidence. It provides states with individualized and actionable solutions to improve outcomes starting in the earliest years. Learn more about Washington's Road Map.
Partnering to Make the Most of Child Development Supports

Help Me Grow network members from King, Pierce and Skagit shared about their work during a recent webinar hosted by the Department of Health and Help Me Grow Washington. Presenters described how community supports (Help Me Grow model, Vroom and Learn the Signs. Act Early) can be implemented together to create impactful work locally. View the presentation. 
Paid Family Medical Leave Partnership

With a boost from a legislative win this year, a new partnership is developing between Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave and Help Me Grow. We are working to connect Paid Leave beneficiaries with HMG so that more families with young children, prenatal through age 5, get seamlessly connected to the health and development resources they need to thrive. Our teams are training and learning about each other's work, and will begin cross-promoting soon.
Opportunity to Submit Resources to Help Me Grow Coming Soon!

WithinReach, which maintains the Resource Finder on ParentHelp123.org, will soon launch an online portal for community partners and providers to be able to submit resources and offer feedback on existing resources. We will also be making the Resource Finder available through HelpMeGrowWA.org. Stay tuned for more information by the end of the year. Thank you to all who took the time to share your feedback last August to inform this work!
Help Me Grow National News
Successful Help Me Grow National Forum

The 12th Annual HMG National Virtual Forum consisted of four half-days of presentations September 21-23, featuring 107 speakers and 72 sessions. Sessions this year included content focusing on advancing equity, infant mental health principles, strategies for universal developmental screening, and the importance of centering parents and families in our collective work. Materials and recordings of the 2021 Virtual Forum will be made available to affiliates of the HMG National Network this month.
National Help Me Grow Impact Report Released

The 2020 Building Impact Report is now available. This report, made by the National Help Me Grow Center, uses fidelity assessment data collected by each HMG system in 2020 to describe the impact of the HMG model. Check out the report to learn about the nationwide impact that HMG systems are making.
Help Me Grow Regional News
In Pierce County...

HMG Pierce is hosting a webinar on October 21 at noon about postpartum psychosis. Join this webinar to hear from Dr. Ramanpreet Toor about psychosis during the perinatal period. This will have a Pierce County specific focus, but information that will be helpful to all health providers.

In Central Washington...   

HMG Central Washington (Yakima and Kittitas) has been busy with outreach events. Be sure to stop in and say hello if you see the team in the community either in person or during a virtual event! You can see them next at the Food Bank hosted by Opportunities Industrialization Center on October 28.
Resources for Parents & Caregivers
  • Wondering about how to promote healthy sleep habits for the child in your life? Visit Zero to Three’s collection of articles that share stories from parents and caregivers and offer ideas that you can try out if you are experiencing similar sleep challenges.

  • You might be hearing a lot about trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and costumes! PBS Kids has a great list of activities from crafts to costumes that will help make some great memories this fall.
WithinReach is working in shared leadership with the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families and Washington Communities for Children to guide the design and development of a vision and spread and scale plan for a unified Help Me Grow Washington. This newsletter will promote Help Me Grow efforts and share relevant state and local communications, resources and updates across the network.
Send along ideas and resources for the Help Me Grow Washington website and future newsletters by emailing Taryn Essinger at taryne@withinreachwa.org.
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