Children will go through a lot of changes. At a very young age, there are periods of quick physical growth. Then they will develop cognitive, social, and life skills. They also begin to build habits and behaviors that impact their future health. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) focuses on supporting Texas families as their children grow.    

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)  

For information and resources about COVID-19 and child health, please visit the following links:

COVID-19 Information

• What to do if you’re sick
• Testing information
• Symptoms
• Prevention tips
• Tips to keep children healthy while school’s out
• Handwashing/hand sanitizer use at home and at play
• Preparing for possible illness at home
• COVID-19 information and referrals
  • Dial 2-1-1, then choose Option 6 (available 24/7)
• Texas Executive Orders and Public Health Disaster Declaration
• Statewide case counts

Coping Strategies & Mental Health

• Talking to children about COVID-19
• Helping children cope
• Stress reduction and coping strategies
• COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line: speak with a mental health professional for help dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, grief, or worry.
  • 1-833-986-1919 (available 24/7)
• TPA Pro Bono Project: COVID-19: receive up to two hours of free mental health services provided by the Texas Psychological Association pro bono service providers. Email probono@texaspsyc.org.
• COVIBOOK: Supporting and Reassuring Children
• How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus
• Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nutrition

• School Meal Finder
• Local Food Bank Finder

Distance/Home Learning

• School Closure Learning Guide
• Distance Learning Worksheets
• Tips and activities for home learning
• Social Distancing: Parenting, Work from Home, Virtual Tours, Entertainment, and Educational Resources for Families
• Parent-Child Playtime Activities to Promote Healthy Brain Development

Resources for Families

• Help for Parents, Hope for Kids
• 10 Tips for Positive Parenting During COVID-19
• What to Do With Kids at Home on Coronavirus Break
• Social Distancing: Parenting, Work from Home, Virtual Tours, Entertainment, and Educational Resources for Families  

These resources are specific for families with children ages 1 to 12 years, for COVID-19 resources specific to children with special healthcare needs, visit here.

Help Me Grow Texas: Connecting Families to Community Services  

MCH leads the Help Me Grow Texas project. MCH works with communities to implement the Help Me Grow framework so Texas families have support.

The early years of a child’s life are important for a healthy future. Help Me Grow Texas links families to resources in their community to help meet children’s needs. Community services include:

• Agencies that provide health care
• Quality early learning experiences
• Information about healthy development

The benefits of a community participating in Help Me Grow Texas are:

• Families have information and resources to help their children to succeed
• Providers can identify vulnerable children and support them
• Stakeholders can build capacity to meet the needs of children and families
• Communities can see improved outcomes

MCH is pleased to announce the Help Me Grow Texas 2020 Cohort communities! The cohort will run from August 2020 to August 2021.

Cohort communities were selected based on community readiness, need, capacity and infrastructure. We also considered the history of the organization's performance and other factors. Each community designated a local organization to lead their communities’ efforts.

The 2020 Cohort participants are:  

• Easter Seals of Rio Grande Valley
  Serving: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy County  

• My Health My Resources of Tarrant County
  Serving: Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise County  

• North Texas Area United Way
  Serving: Archer, Clay, and Wichita County  

• Paso del Norte Children’s Development Center
  Serving: El Paso County  

• United Way for Greater Austin
  Serving: Travis and Williamson County  

• United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County
  Serving: Bexar County

If you have questions, please contact HMGTexas@dshs.texas.gov. More information about Help Me Grow can be found at helpmegrownational.org.  

For more information about child health in Texas, please contact us at:

Texas Department of State Health Services
Title V Maternal & Child Health
PO Box 149347, Mail Code 1922
Austin, TX 78714-9347
(512) 776-7373: Phone
(512) 458-7658: Fax
TitleV@dshs.texas.gov  

External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These external links may not be accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information about Maternal and Child Health, please email TitleV@dshs.texas.gov or call (512) 776-7373.