The Problem
About 1 in 6 children ages 2–8 has a developmental, behavioral, or mental health condition. In underserved communities like El Paso, barriers such as poverty, limited healthcare, and fewer early education options make it harder to identify concerns early and connect families to help. Without early support, children are more likely to face long-term challenges.
Action
The Council helped bring the Help Me Grow model to El Paso to connect families with early childhood services. This included building a local network of providers, training staff, and creating a central intake system to guide families to the right services. Nearly 270 providers—including doctors, service coordinators, and community partners—were connected to create a strong referral network.
Results
Help Me Grow El Paso is now a sustainable program within a local disability organization. It uses a “no wrong door” approach so families can enter the system from anywhere and still get connected to the right support. The program has improved early identification and access to services, and its success led the state to fund it permanently. It is now helping shape similar efforts in 12 communities across Texas.
Unique Role of the Council
The Council brings partners together and builds local capacity. By strengthening provider networks and focusing on underserved communities, the Council ensures more children are identified early and connected to the services they need to grow, learn, and thrive.