Alaska Begins Implementation of "Help Me Grow"

Vitalinka / Shutterstock

In the 2017 Kids Count Data Book: Data Trends in Child Well-Being, Alaska ranked 38th out of 50 for the overall well-being of children. In an effort to better provide children with what they need to thrive, after two years of planning, Alaska recently launched Help Me Grow - Alaska, a program under the umbrella of the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership. Help Me Grow will work in communities across the state to identify at-risk children and families and link them with the programs and services they need, including health care, early care and education, and family support. Ongoing data collection and analysis will help identify gaps and barriers in Alaska’s early childhood system and inform future policy and investment decisions. The system will be implemented with the help of funding from a federal grant through the Health Resources and Services Administration for the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Impact Project, or ECCS Impact, in addition to state and local funds. This investment is an important step to ensure that all of Alaska’s children start life healthy and ready for success.