The purpose of the Help Me Grow (HMG)/Help Me Thrive (HMT) SoC is to establish an expanded system of comprehensive, coordinated treatment, and community-based services that are family-centered, trauma-informed, and evidence-based. The HMG/HMT SoC will be implemented in three project phases - expansion and enrichment of HMG into HMT (Phase I), planning and implementation of HMT (Phase II), and alignment with other SoCs in North Texas (Phase III). This system of care (SoC) geographic catchment area includes 10 North Texas counties (Collin, Cooke, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Kaufman, Navarro, Rockwall, Wise). These counties span an immensely large area, covering 7,116.2 square miles (US Census Bureau, 2020). MHMR seeks to respond to the HMG/HMT SoC population of focus including all families with young children (birth to age 16) and their caregivers to promote healthy social-emotional development and prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Additionally, to prevent SED/SMI, children exhibiting behavioral concerns or having adverse experiences/trauma will be of focus. Targeted populations also include rural, poverty, and those living in homelessness.
Phase I of the project will focus on Cooke, Denton, Ellis, Navarro, and Wise counties. During Phase I, the program will begin to offer navigation in schools, primary care settings, and community locations where families/youth visit such as Family Resource Centers (FRCs) and community/recreation centers. Phase II will focus on HMG planning and implementation in Collin, Fannin, Grayson, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties. We will leverage existing resources to advance an integrated, cross-sector system to 1) promote the optimal development of all children and youth; 2) identify concerns and needs among families with adolescents; 3) link families to community-based resources; 4) work in partnership with families by prioritizing parent and caregiver goals for their children's well-being; and 5) follow-up with families as well as their service and health care providers to ensure a synergistic approach to support. During Phase III, HMG/HMT will collaborate with other SoCs, including Dallas County, to create a Comprehensive North Texas Regional System of Care.
Goals for the project include 1) To enhance the Help Me Grow, Help Me Thrive collaborative framework of a high-quality, innovative, and sustainable family support system, with each element informed by the needs and challenges of children/youth (birth to age 16) at-risk for SED/SMI and their families, by 09/29/2026; 2) Expand access to a continuum of behavioral and mental health services and ensure early identification of families with children/youth, age birth to 16, who are at-risk for SED/SMI, by 09/29/2026; 3) Strengthen 1,010 children/youth (birth to age 16) at risk for SED/SMI, their parents, and providers by providing high-quality customized navigation, direct services, and effective evidence-based family strengthening programs, by 09/29/2026; and 4) Establish SoC linkages and comprehensive support services to increase participant's ability to live independently and responsibly, by 09/29/2026. The project aims to serve 730 families through navigation and 280 through intervention across 4 years (120 navigation/40 intervention in year 1, 160 navigation/60 intervention in year 2, 200 navigation/80 intervention in year 3, and 250 navigation/100 intervention in year 4).