Ohio Department of Health Ohio.gov

Parents Rights in Help Me Grow

When your child who is birth through age two receives services from the Help Me Grow program, you receive certain rights.

Your rights include:

  • The right to accept or decline some or all services from Help Me Grow program
  • The right to be informed of your rights
  • The right to provide informed written consent before any information about your child or family is shared between service providers and before evaluation and services begin
  • All information about you and your records are kept private and confidential
  • The right to review and make changes to records about your child and family at any time
  • The right to request, be present at and take part in meetings about your child and family
  • The right to make a formal complaint about services for your child
  • The right to know to whom to make a written complaint and then get an answer to that complaint within 30 days
  • Assessment of the strengths and needs of your family
  • Service Coordination
  • Help with writing and updating the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

Parents Rights of Children With a Developmental Delay or Disability

Parents of children with a developmental delay or disability have special rights stated in the federal law called Individualized with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If your child has a delay or disability, your rights include:

The right to the following services at no cost to you:

  • Developmental evaluation to determine eligibility
  • Help with transition planning before your child turns three
  • The right to have an advocate, friend or interpreter present at any or all contacts with service providers
  • The right to receive written notice before there is a change in services. The written notice should include what and why the change is being proposed or denied.

There are two ways to make a complaint—

  • Contact your local Help Me Grow program or
  • Contact the Bureau of Early Intervention Services at the Ohio Department of Health,

Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Early Intervention Services
ATTN: Help Me Grow Program
246 North High Street
PO Box 118
Columbus, Ohio 43216-0118

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