Help Me Grow Skagit

We have launched a new website! Check it out at www.HelpMeGrowSkagit.org. The site is designed to be family-friendly and it is available in English and Spanish!

Family & Community Outreach

Our big event this month is Family Palooza! We are continuing to conduct outreach to agencies and organizations that work with families to spread the word about Help Me Grow and are excited for our upcoming presentation to Skagit Islands Human Resources Management Association (SIHRMA) so more local businesses are aware of resources available to support young families in their workforce. Last but not least, we will be hosting another HMG Open House - Save the date! November 30th - 4:30 - 5:30pm.

Child Health Care Provider Outreach

In October, Jenna Lisenby, DPT, presented on Infant Assessment and Treatment of Torticollis and Plagiocephaly to a group of over 25 local child health care providers. Currently, we are developing a series of educational events on child development that will begin in 2023. Check out the healthcare provider page on the HMG website for more information.

Coordinated Access Point

Gaby Camarena, our Help Me Grow Skagit Family Resource Navigator, is available by phone at (360) 630-8352 Monday through Friday from 9:00am - 4pm. Now, she is also available for in-person appointments! Gaby is onsite at the Children's Museum on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00am-2pm to further support families!  

The Help Me Grow Skagit Family Resource Center continues to provide much needed items to families!

Equity

Are you interested in a leadership position to help support equity work in the developing the Help Me Grow system? We are looking for a champion to join our board, attend the statewide Equity Voice gatherings, and help identify and implement framework, tools and strategies to embed equity in our HMG system. The statewide team meets on the last Thursday of the month from 12–1:30 p.m. via Zoom. If this sounds like an exciting role for you, please reach out to Lyndie Simmonds.

Child Care

A new statewide Child Care Voice Learning Network has been formed!hey engage in self-directed conversations around early learning, the children and families of their communities, and the industry’s workforce. They host an annual Childcare Voice Legislative Roundtable to engage policy makers directly with early learning participants, and form workgroups around specific topics as opportunities or issues arise. The team meets on the first Thursday of each month, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. with simultaneous Spanish translation and the ability to expand language support options as needed. Reach out to Lyndie for more information!

Data Collection & Analysis

We are so pleased to have the support of Stacey Anderson, Epidemiologist with Skagit County Public Health, who is supporting our Help Me Grow system data collection and analysis. We are excited to share the data we have collected so far. Stay tuned!

Bright By Text

Skagit County Public Health is starting to put out local messages through Bright By Text! We will be working with local agencies soon to send messages to families through this platform. Please encourage families to sign up by texting SKAGIT to 274448.

Bringing Baby Home Interest Form

Designed for both expecting and new parents, the Bringing Baby Home Program will give you skills and information to recognize and cope successfully with the normal stressors of becoming a family.

Full STEAM Ahead and Family Palooza!

Bring kids of all ages to participate in this year’s event that is focused on Disaster Preparedness! With the support of the Skagit County Public Health Department, we’ll be helping families and their pets be prepared for floods, earthquakes, any natural disaster! There will be so many interactive activities and projects to make and take with you! Help Me Grow Skagit will also bring back their popular Family Palooza resources – from Pregnancy to Family Fun, find everything you’re looking for!

Synchrony and Communities Conference

Friday, November 11, 2022 from 8:00 - 2:00pm via Zoom. Including: Dr. Stroud will offer a one-of-a-kind mock supervision session. Under Dr. Stroud’s expert guidance, Dr. Ben Russell will give a powerful demonstration of the role diversity, equity, and inclusion necessarily plays in a comprehensive reflective practice model in DIR®. Be sure not to miss this unique opportunity to witness collaborative, curious, and brave reflective process in action.

Lactation Education Resources - Becoming an IBCLC Blog - In Spanish

The first installment of this blog series is available. This blog (in Spanish) discusses the requirements and how to find your own unique path.

2022 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap

The Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap provides guidance to state leaders on the most effective investments states can make to ensure all children thrive from the start. Grounded in the science of the developing child and based on comprehensive reviews of the most rigorous evidence available, the Roadmap provides detailed information on five effective policies and six effective strategies that foster the nurturing environments infants and toddlers need, and that reduce longstanding disparities in access and outcomes among racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic statuses.

NorthSound ACH: Advancing a Just and Inclusive Culture - Reimagining Data

In October 2022, our Equity Cohort prepared a discussion on Reimagining Data, reimaging how we collect and analysis data to better understand well-being, through community-centered data initiatives and the broader movement around data justice. This session featured Jason McGill of Northwest Youth Services, Amy Rydel of Whatcom County Health Department, and Dr. Andres Lopez, PhD, and Dr. Mira Mohsini, PhD, of Coalition of Communities of Color. Please review the presentation slides, resources shared by our speakers, and re-watch or share the recording.

Washington State Early Learning Coordination Plan

Click the link above to learn more about the Washington State Early Learning Coordination Plan

Expanded Childhood Vaccine Clinic hours at Skagit County Public Health.

We have added a Monday clinic that extends into the evening until 7:00 pm. Our goal is to assist families in bringing their child(ren) up to date on their required school vaccinations with these expanded hours. Immunizations are provided at no-cost and no insurance is required. Please encourage families to call (360) 416-1500 to schedule an appointment and our bilingual staff will be happy to assist them. Please feel free to share the information with your networks and providers. You can also find easy to share communications on our Facebook page.