DOVER, DE (Nov. 17, 2022) — The Maternal Child Health Bureau of the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), Delaware 2-1-1 and other state and community organizations proudly recognized Help Me Grow Delaware during an event celebrating Help Me Grow’s 10th anniversary on Nov. 9 at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center in New Castle. The program utilizes a systems-based approach to connect families with the resources they need to help their children thrive.  

Event organizers read a proclamation from the Office of the Governor highlighting the program’s accomplishments to include the community resource fair hosted on Nov 9. The supporters below received plaques for their contribution to the program. 

• Matthew Denn – As former attorney general, lieutenant governor, and insurance commissioner, Denn dedicated much of his public service to addressing issues impacting children. As insurance commissioner for Delaware, he was instrumental in helping to pass legislation that mandated insurance coverage of developmental screenings and provided funding to promote screenings in primary care, improving access across the state. 
• Norma Everett – As the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Manager, Everett built community stakeholder relations to improve conditions for Delaware families and opened the door for collaboration that resulted in the passing of developmental screening legislation in 2009. 
• Dr. Aguida Atkinson – Dr. Atkinson spent her career advocating for community health. As a Help Me Grow physician champion, she continues to work toward improving Delaware’s early childhood system through collaboration and innovation.
  

Help Me Grow Delaware was founded in 2012 and is a comprehensive and coordinated statewide system for the early identification and referral of children at risk for developmental and behavioral challenges. The program helps families find community-based programs and services to enhance their child’s behavior, learning and development. 

“We know children make up the largest segment of people living in poverty and that one in six children ages 3 to 17 will have one or more developmental or behavioral disabilities,” said Crystal Sherman, section chief of DPH’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Bureau. “Identifying health and developmental issues early in a child’s life is essential to obtaining long-term positive outcomes. Help Me Grow connects families — particularly new and expecting parents — with the needed resources and services.”

The impact of Help Me Grow Delaware is significant. The program has helped numerous families in the past decade by identifying their most imminent needs.  

Help Me Grow By the Numbers: 

• 19,693 — Total calls, with 17,076 children served through Help Me Grow’s centralized access point 2-1-1
• 10,210 — Combined total number of the most sought-after services and necessities requested by a parent/caregiver. These include:  
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  • Home visiting through the Delaware Home Visiting Program 
  • Basic needs such as clothing, car seats and furniture  
  • Diapers 
  • WIC 
  • Childcare
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• 4,574 — Total number of screenings completed through community outreach activities
• 1,961 — Total referrals to targeted service providers by 
•                Help Me Grow via 2-1-1
• 1,571 — Total cases in which parents/caregivers reported behavioral and  
•                developmental concerns to Help Me Grow through 2-1-1
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Delaware 2-1-1 is a confidential, toll-free help hotline from the United Way and DPH. Families who call 2-1-1 can speak directly with Help Me Grow Delaware’s trained child development specialists, who will help them find services in their area. Specialists also utilize early detection screenings to identify potential developmental delays to guide parents, educators and providers to resources that will address these concerns.  

To learn more, visit DEThrives.com/Help-Me-Grow.  

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Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, and voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, visit delawarerelay.com. 

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. 

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