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Early Childhood Development

Co-Chairs: Upcoming Meetings: 

Roger Sheldon, MD, FAAP

Krishnan Subramanian, MD, FAAP

September 29, 2023 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Work Group Meeting

October 27, 2023 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Lunch Hour Lecture Series Presentation

December 1, 2023 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Work Group Meeting

January 26, 2024 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Lunch Hour Lecture Series Presentation

February 23, 2024 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Work Group Meeting

March 29, 2024 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Lunch Hour Lecture Series Presentation

April 26, 2024 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Work Group Meeting

May 24, 2024 (12:10 – 1 p.m.) Lunch Hour Lecture Series Presentation

 


Birth to age 5 are the most critical years for a child’s intellectual, emotional and social development. Children require safe environments, responsive relationships, and appropriate nutrition to improve lifelong outcomes in learning and health. The MNAAP supports those program that provides Minnesota parents the opportunity to help their child develop during the critical first 5 years of life and help prepare the child to be successful not only in school but in life.

Minnesota families depend on several state programs to support early childhood development

    • Over 33,000 families use the Child Care Assistance Program.
    • 15,000 children are enrolled in Head Start
    • 2.4% or 5,000 of children 0-3 use Help Me Grow/Early Intervention services
  • WIC participation has increased by over 50,000 persons in the last 10 years

View Video & Webinars

MNAAP’s Early Childhood Caucus has collaborated with the AAP Division of State Government Affairs in the preparation of the guide below for policymakers and legislators: Minnesota Early Childhood/Prenatal to Three Policy Development. The document addresses Access to Care, Early Education, Equity, Family Environment, and Systems Development.

View the 2021 Guide

 

Help Me Grow Minnesota has a new video training opportunity. While every child is unique, children develop in certain predictable ways.  Help Me Grow Minnesota provides resources to families and care givers about developmental milestones and what to do if there is a concern about a child’s development.  Help Me Grow is the portal by which families and care givers connect to their local school district for screening, evaluation, and services.

Help Me Grow Minnesota has created a training video specifically for medical professionals and clinic staff who work with families of children aged birth – 5 years.  This video provides an overview of the role and practices of the medical community in the referral process through Help Me Grow MN for children, ages Birth-5, with a suspected or potential delay.

Through this video, viewers will learn to:

  • Define the key terms needed for completing a referral through Help Me Grow
  • Identify the role of Medical Professionals and Clinic Staff in the referral process.
  • List the steps required to complete a referral through Help Me Grow
  • Review the steps following a referral through Help Me Grow
  • Identify the services that can be provided to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families.

The YouTube Link to the video = https://youtu.be/81Om0GwC5FY

To refer a child through Help Me Grow, visit HelpMeGrowMN.org or call 1-866-693-GROW (4769).


The Story of Help Me Grow: Linking Children and Families to Programs and Services 12/18/13 Help Me Grow Summit Healthcare Providers Dinner with Paul Dworkin, M.D., and introduction by Ed Ehlinger, MD, Minnesota Commissioner of Health. Slides (PowerPoint) | Audio (MP3) 339-minute recording Cover slide Dr. DworkinDr. Paul Dworkin is a nationally recognized developmental-behavioral pediatrician and the founder of Help Me Grow. He is Executive Vice President and Community Child Health Director for the Office for Community Child Health, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

Resources for Neuropsychological Testing:

St. Cloud: Dr. Daniel Holland, Dr. Holly Clausen (320) 363-8055 Metro: Alexander Center/Park Nicollet (952.993.2498); Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic at the University of MN Medical Center (612.365.6777); Fraser (612.861.1688); Psych Recovery (651) 645-3115; PrarieCare Rochester: Mayo Clinic (507.266.5100)

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