Ohio Department of Health Ohio.gov

Parents Rights in Help Me Grow

When your child who is under three years of age 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 
  • The right to provide informed written consent before services begin 
  • The right to have your records 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 receive an answer to that complaint within 30 days
  • The right to have your family's priorities and concerns addressed 
  • The right to have a designated staff member to support and facilitate your services
  • The right to guide 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 and leaves Help Me Grow
  • 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 by phone at (614) 644-8389, by e-mail (beis@odh.ohio.gov) or by mail at the following address:

Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Early Intervention Services
ATTN: Help Me Grow Program
246 North High Street, 5th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-0118

This page last updated on 4/10/13.