Help Me Grow
Help Me Grow is a voluntary evidenced-based parent support program. It encourages early prenatal and baby care, as well as parenting education to support the health and growth of children. HMG can help parents nurture their children’s early language and cognitive development, as well as future academic achievement in school. Help Me Grow Home Visiting believes all young children deserve the same chance to reach their full potential in life, no matter their economic, geographic, and demographic background. The education and resources provided to parents allows them to make the most of this important period of growth in their child’s life, creating a foundation for lasting success.
Home visitors are trained professionals who use a non-judgmental approach that empowers parents with skills, tools, and confidence to nurture the healthy growth of your baby. They will help with setting and reaching goals, offering parenting resources and support, help with referrals to community agencies when needed, as well as provide fun learning experiences for parents and children so that children can grow up happy, healthy and eager to learn.
Referrals can be made by visiting www.helpmegrow.org or call (740)444-4400 for more information.
Car Seat Safety
Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program (OBB)
The Gallia-Meigs Community Action Agency is a local coordination site for the Ohio Department of Health’s child passenger safety program, Ohio Buckles Buckeyes (OBB), and provides child safety seats and booster seats to eligible, low-income families who are residents of Gallia or Meigs counties. The goals of this program are to increase the availability of child safety seats for families who could not otherwise afford them and to increase correct installation and proper use of child safety seats.
Eligible families are required to complete a class in which they will be instructed on how to properly use the car seat, and how to correctly install the seat in their vehicle. The class will be instructed by a trained child passenger safety technician. The family’s monthly income must be within Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) guidelines; however, they are not required to register for WIC.
According to Ohio’s child passenger safety law found at https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/child-injury-Prevention/child-passenger-safety/:
- Children less than 4 years old or under 40 pounds must use a child safety seat meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards.
- Children 4 to 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall must use a booster seat or other approved safety seat according to car seat instructions.
- Children ages 8-15 years must use a safety belt no matter where they are in the car.
Call (740)444-4400 for more information.