The Home Visiting Central Intake Bulletin
Central Intake e-newsletter for Home Visiting providers
December 2019
Welcome to The Home Visiting Central Intake Bulletin! This email will provide you with Help Me Grow Central Intake data, updates, and resources relevant for Home Visiting providers that will keep you informed and prepared to serve families. You'll receive this email quarterly.

If you are interested in viewing the e-newsletter for Early Intervention providers, visit www.helpmegrow.org .

Thank you for the work you do in supporting families across Ohio!
SFY20 First Quarter Referral Data
Help Me Grow Central Intake & Referral processed 11,296 Home Visiting system referrals during the first quarter of SFY20; 6,096 of those were for pregnant women with an average gestational age of 24 weeks.
There was a 30 percent increase in the number of program referrals made to Home Visiting providers during the first quarter of SFY20, compared to the first quarter of SFY19. Sixty one percent of the program referrals were for pregnant women, and 51 percent of those were first-time moms.
Did you know?
Families can receive both Home Visiting and Early Intervention services!

If you are currently serving a child and there is a concern about his or her development, make a referral for Early Intervention!
Help Me Grow website is now live!
Visit the new website today for Help Me Grow Central Intake and Referral information and resources!
How to transfer in OCHIDS
If a family needs transferred from one program to another within a county or from one county to another county...

Home Visiting providers should:
  • Ensure all data has been entered into OCHIDS;
  • Submit HEA8045 forms to transfers@helpmegrow.org with any updated contact information; and
  • Transfer family in OCHIDS by choosing any agency on the list and enter any relevant information (i.e. not eligible for program, moved out of Summit county, requested another provider) into the comments box.
  • Please note: Do not exit family. It may affect Home Visiting eligibility.

Central Intake and Referral (CIR) will:
  • Access the transferred family from the CIR dashboard;
  • Enter the HEA8045 form;
  • Contact parent (if program is not designated) to offer program and/or provider;
  • Enter all contacts made by CIR into OCHIDS; and
  • Assign provider, as applicable, or exit after three unsuccessful attempts within the 14-calendar days.

For assistance with transfers due to funding stream assignment changes, please contact your agency's Ohio Department of Health Home Visiting Technical Assistance Consultant.
Outreach and Family Engagement
SFY20 First Quarter Outreach
During the first quarter of SFY20, statewide outreach included more than 1,100 in-person activities. Those outreach activities included:

  • 188 outreach events
  • 198 presentations and meetings
  • 720 canvassed locations
County Home Visiting Communication/Community Engagement Plans
With valuable input from Home Visiting providers, outreach staff developed individual county plans to deliver Help Me Grow System of Support and Home Visiting information to targeted audiences. Thank you for your contributions! Providers will be receiving a copy of their county's plan soon. Feel free to provide ongoing input as these plans are flexible and based on data and county needs.
Marketing and Communications Research Firm Search
A research firm will be contracted to conduct research on existing audiences and landscapes, develop audience-specific messaging, and identify strategies to implement and evaluate future marketing and communication strategies for Home Visiting and the Help Me Grow System of Support.

Stay tuned for more information!
New Home Visiting Referral Card
*Inside view above*

A new referral card has been developed for Home Visiting outreach efforts . Its perforated design allows pregnant women and families to have Home Visiting information to reference later; and the referral card can be left with the receptionist at a doctor's office, or with outreach staff during an outreach event. Look out for the referral card in your community!
"Did I just hear something about Help Me Grow?"
Yes, you did!

We are making strides in our SFY20 advertising to ensure Ohio residents and professionals alike know about the Help Me Grow System of Support. You may see, or even hear, Help Me Grow pop up on:

  • Billboards in targeted areas
  • Public radio and television
  • Pandora streaming
  • Bureau of Motor Vehicles waiting room screens
  • Regional parent and family magazines
  • Public transportation intercoms
  • Trade conference materials
Resources
SFY19 Help Me Grow
Annual Report
Click below to download the Help Me Grow Annual Report, illustrating the Central Intake and Referral work conducted last fiscal year.
Community Resource Directories
All 88 Community Resource
Directories are now available on the Help Me Grow website!

The directories serve as a catalog of Early Intervention, Home Visiting, and family support services in your community. It is a great resource for both you and the families you serve!

For suggestions or submissions of additional resources to the Community Resource Directories, email us at  info@helpmegrow.org .
Help Me Grow Flyer
The Help Me Grow one-page flyer describing Home Visiting and Early Intervention services has been updated to include a comprehensive list of providers in each region. This outreach tool is available on our new Help Me Grow website. 
Get the facts! Preventing Child Lead Poisoning
Ohio is committed to preventing child lead poisoning. There is no safe level of lead in a child's blood, so preventing lead exposure is critical. If a child tests with elevated lead in the blood ( ≥5ug/dL) , they automatically qualify for Early Intervention supportive services. The Ohio Department of Health released two pieces educating the public on lead exposure. Click the images to download useful information to share with families.
Pregnant Women and Electronic Vapor Products (EVPs)
New tobacco products such as electronic vapor products (EVP) are being used with increasing frequency among women of reproductive age. About 2,000 Ohio women used EVPs during the last three months of pregnancy in 2017. Most EVPs contain nicotine, which is addictive and toxic to developing fetuses and harmful for brain development. The Ohio Department of Health issued a report examining the use of EVPs, dual use of EVPs and tobacco cigarettes, and the perception that EVPs are less harmful than cigarettes among Ohio women.

"You guys have such a great program. I have seen you work miracles." 

- Attorney John Frank, Stark County Guardian Ad Litem
If you have any questions regarding the information in this email, contact us at info@helpmegrow.org.
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