Families with Young Children

Help Me Grow

Help Me Grow (HMG) is a voluntary family support program for pregnant women or new parents with a child under the age of 6 months, and/or with children up to the age of 3 years old. HMG is an evidence-based program that encourages prenatal care and promotes healthy growth and development for babies and young children. HMG can help parents nurture their children’s early language and cognitive development, as well as future academic achievement in school.

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.

Car Seat Safety

The Help Me Grow office offers free car seat safety checks. A certified car seat technician is available in the GMCAA Middleport office Monday-Friday. A Car Seat Safety Class is also offered.

Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program (OBB)

The Ohio Department of Health’s child passenger safety program, Ohio Buckles Buckeyes (OBB), provides child safety seats and booster seats to eligible, low income families who are residents of the state of Ohio.  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 instructor. 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:

  • Children less than 4 years old or 40 pounds must use a child safety seat meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards.
  • Children less than 8 years old, unless they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall must use a booster seat.
  • Children ages 8-15 years must use a child safety seat or safety belt.