Help Me Connect is an online resource to help expectant families and families with young children (birth - 8 years old) find services in their local communities that support healthy child development and family well-being.

Local public health departments
Find a local health department of community health board, in order to access some of these programs:

Child and Teen Checkups outreach and support
Family Home Visiting
Follow Along Program
WIC nutrition

Find links to Minnesota Indian Tribes for more information about health-related services in Anishinaabe (Chippewa or Ojibwe) reservations and Dakota (Sioux) communities.

Local early education programs
Find local early education and care programs through HelpMeConnect

Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)
Early Childhood Screening
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
School Readiness
Head Start and Early Head Start

Local social service programs

Resources for Minnesota Families with Children brochure (DHS) (PDF)

Search for county, tribe and regional offices.

Minnesota

Child development and referral
For basic early childhood development information and referral for concerns from birth to age 8, refer to Minnesota's Help Me Grow.
Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress has translated resources for parents on development.
Minnesota's Preschool Development Birth Through Five Grant
To find quality child care in Minnesota, refer to Child Care Aware of Minnesota.

National

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Developmental and Social Emotional Screening Marketing Tool Kit

The toolkit, developed through interviews and focus groups with diverse parents and screening providers across Minnesota, helps parents understand that screening can occur multiple times in various settings from birth to kindergarten. The current QR code on the materials links to the Healthy Development and Screening - Help Me Connect (state.mn.us). Materials can be used by any screening program or community partner including clinics, child welfare, Early Childhood Screening, Family Home Visiting, Head Start, Follow Along Program.