Frequently Asked
Questions

African American father and young daughter are laughing and jumping in their living room

Frequently Asked Questions

General HMG LA

Help Me Grow LA (HMG LA) is a program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). HMG LA helps families find services that can support their child’s development. HMG LA’s Family Partners, all who have experience raising children with special needs, offer practical advice, information, and support so families can get help in their community. LACDPH also partners with First 5 LA, child health care and service providers, and other community agencies to guide families in their child’s developmental health.

HMG LA serves all families with children in Los Angeles County, and the providers who serve them. Family Partners are located in all 8 Service Planning Areas.

HMG LA is for families and providers. HMG LA’s Family Partners provide support by connecting families to local resources and services, assisting with paperwork for complex health care needs, and sharing personal experiences from their own child’s developmental journey. Child health care and service providers in the HMG LA network offer developmental screenings and resources to families.

No, there is no cost to access any of HMG LA’s resources.

HMG LA is available to any family looking for developmental, learning, or behavioral resources for children in Los Angeles County.

HMG LA is available to any family looking for developmental, learning or behavior resources for children in Los Angeles County. There are no eligibility requirements and no cost to families.

No, immigration status is not a requirement to receive access from Help Me Grow LA.

Yes, we follow all guidelines of the of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for protecting confidential child and family information.

We have Family Partners who speak English and Spanish. For all other languages, we have live interpretation services available by phone at no cost.

Our call center is open daily on Monday to Fridays. You can leave a message 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and a Family Partner will return your call within two business days. You can also use our self-search database of community resources 24/7 at our website: HelpMeGrowLA.org or another resource is 1Degree.org. One Degree includes a collection of linkages to partners and service providers that offer support for child development needs.

Once you connect with a Family Partner, you will get information during the initial call. If additional resources or support is needed, we will follow up with you within two business days after the initial connection.

HMG LA recommends providers use a standardized screening tool designed for use by parents, early educators and health care professionals. The tools rely on parents as experts, are easy to use, family-friendly and create a snapshot needed to celebrate milestones and capture delays. Commonly utilized tools include the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3 or ASQ-SE), Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC), and Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R).

Referrals to Services and Programs

There are three ways to get help:
  1. Fill out the referral form HERE or call us at (833) 903-3972 to get connected with a Family Partner. A HMG LA Family Partner can help you find the right services and resources in your community.
  2. Search the resource database at 1Degree.org. The One Degree self-search database has lists of agencies and resources to help for your child. Create a free One Degree account to view referrals in your community and those provided by a HMG LA Family Partner.
  3. You can contact your local Early Start Family Resource Center. Family Resource Centers offer peer-to-peer support, information, and training. Most staff are parents of children with disabilities. They understand your concerns and experiences getting the best help for your child. Like Regional Centers, Family Resource Centers are assigned based on your home address. Find your assigned Regional Center and Family Resource Center using our locator HERE.

Yes. Regional Centers provide different services than health insurance does. There is no financial requirement to be evaluated for Regional Center eligibility.

No, you do not need to prove citizenship to be eligible for Regional Center Services.

Each child develops and learns at their own pace. There are three ways to get help:
  1. Fill out the referral form HERE or call us at (833) 903-3972 to get connected with a Family Partner. A HMG LA Family Partner can help you find the right services and resources in your community.
  2. Look for support yourself at 1Degree.org. The One Degree self-search database has lists of agencies and resources to help for your child. Create a free One Degree account to view referrals in your community and those provided by a HMG LA Family Partner.
  3. You can contact your local Early Start Family Resource Center. Family Resource Centers offer peer-to-peer support, information, and training. Most staff are parents of children with disabilities. They understand your concerns and experiences getting the best help for your child. Find your assigned Resource Center using our locator HERE.

Infants and toddlers up to age 3 receive Regional Center services through the Early Start program if they have a developmental delay of at least 25% in one or more areas, have a known risk condition, or are at high risk of having a substantial developmental delay. Early intervention services can help eligible children with their development. Some children will “catch up” while others may always have a delay or disability.

Children up to age 5 get Regional Center services through Provisional Lanterman services if they have two areas of significant delay (no developmental disability diagnosis required). This is a change in Lanterman Act that will allow some children to continue receiving Regional Center services after they age out of the Early Start program. The Lanterman Act is a law in California that allows people with developmental disabilities to receive services and supports through a Regional Center. Children and adults require a diagnosis and three areas of significant delay for Lanterman Act services. Other than Regional Centers, public schools are mandated to provide educational services and supports for children with special needs ages 3-21.

Many parents feel that the most important thing is to get help for their child. Sometimes this means getting a diagnosis (“label”), but the diagnosis can help a child qualify for the services and supports they need.

Regional Centers provide a free assessment to see if your child is eligible for services. They provide (or can help get) the services and supports a child needs. Most services and supports are free regardless of age or income.

Regional Centers do not have insurance requirements. Sometimes special education, Medi-Cal or private insurance may pay for the services. But, if there is no other way to pay for the service, then Regional Center may pay for it.

The timeline for children ages 0 through age 2 is about 45 days from the time of the first call with a Resource Center intake specialist, or 120 days for a child aged 3 and older.

Help Me Grow LA recently produced a tool kit and advocacy workbook in English and Spanish for parents and caregivers of children with developmental delays. The tool kit includes information about milestones, a developmental journey guide, next steps after identifying a developmental delay, and more. The workbook provides tips and tools for advocacy, including worksheets to identify barriers to resources and services, communicating your child’s needs, and setting goals for your child. Information on self-care is also included. The Parent Tool Kit is available in English HERE and Spanish HERE download the Parent Advocacy and Self Care Workbook in English HERE and Spanish HERE. You can also watch videos on development for your child’s age on from the CDC HERE.

For more information or to access the screening tools and resources mentioned above, visit our Resource page.

RESOURCES PAGE
A smiling Asian mother holds her toddler facing his smiling grandmother