As a health care provider, you play a significant role in promoting the healthy development of children in Skagit County. Help Me Grow is here to help. The Help Me Grow Family Resource Navigator assesses a family’s needs and connects them to community resources and services that will assist them in raising healthy, happy children. If you recognize a need, please refer the family to Help Me Grow.
How does a referral work?
- Complete the referral form online to refer families, prenatal through early childhood, for family resources and navigation services. There is also an option to print and fax it to Help Me Grow Skagit at (360) 365-8664.
- The Skagit Family Resource Navigator will reach out to the family, listen, provide support, and assess the needs of the children and family.
- Based on the needs, the family will be referred to the appropriate local services and supports.
- Scheduled follow-ups will occur to inquire about previous referrals given and any additional concerns that the family may have.
- If indicated on the referral form, the Family Resource Navigator will communicate with the referring health care provider to give an update on the referral.

Help Me Grow Skagit’s Physician Champion

Dr. Francie Chalmers, MD, co-founder of Skagit Pediatrics, has seen our community expand and many children grow up over the past 40 years. Despite retiring from formal practice, she continues to advocate for local families. In her role as Physician Champion for Help Me Grow Skagit, Dr. Chalmers is working with providers on our new Help Me Grow referral system, identifying training needs, convening quarterly Perinatal and Pediatric Health Care Provider Network meetings, and supporting systematic surveillance and screening of young children. Thank you, Dr. Chalmers, for bringing your voice and expertise to this work and helping all families with young children thrive. If you would like to set up a time for Dr. Chalmers to talk with your clinic providers and/or staff, please email her here: Francie Chalmers, MD
Educational Events

Our sessions from February through June are free and will be held over Zoom on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00AM – 8:00AM.
Participants may claim up to 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for each virtual session.
Course descriptions and registration information coming soon!

Course Description
Presented by: Yolanda Evans, PhD

Course Description – Coming Soon
Presented by: Joyce Gilbert, PhD
Dr. Joyce Gilbert has been the Medical Director of the Providence Abuse Intervention Center in Olympia WA for the past 10 years.Dr. Gilbert has over 40 years of experience practicing primary care pediatrics and working as a Child Abuse Pediatrician. Her passion is educating about preventing child abuse and the effects of trauma on the child’s brain and body.. She is also employed by Seattle Children’s Hospital as a Pediatric Hospitalist at Providence St. Peter Hospital and provides medcon consultations for the SCAN team from Seattle Children’s. Dr. Gilbert has presented at educational venues locally, statewide, and nationally.
Credit Offered
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies
of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACME) through the joint providership of Skagit
Regional Health and Help Me Grow Skagit. Skagit Regional Health is accredited by the Washington State Medical
Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Skagit Regional Health designates this online live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM
Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This activity meets the criteria for up to 5.0 hours of Category I CME credit to satisfy the relicensure requirements of
the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission.
Past Events
January 25, 2025: Supporting Behavioral Health in Young Children: Tools for Health Care Providers, Presented by Erin Gonzales, PhD; Presentation Slides: Supporting Behavioral Health In Young Children
The presentations below were part of our Virtual Education Series for 2024.
- Dispelling the Myths: An Introduction to Gender Affirming Care, presented by: Jason Rafferty, MD, MPH, EdM, Presentation Slides:Dispelling the Myths – Gender Affirmative Care_Dr. Rafferty
- Increasing Access to Pediatric Gender Affirming Care, presented by: Matt Goldenberg, PsyD, Presentation Recording:HERE, Presentation Slides:Pediatric Gender Affirming Care – Jan 2024
- Exploring Neurodiversity, presented by: Sara Woods, PhD, Presentation Slides:Introduction to Neurodiversity and Strengths-Based Ways of Seeing Autism for Pediatricians 2-8-2024
- Healthcare for the Latinx Family, presented by Jessica Serrano, Presentation Recording:HERE, Presentation Slides:Healthcare in the Latinx Community-2024
- Feeding Development: Sensory, Motor, and Behavioral Components, Presented by: Jenna Lisenby, DPT & Erin Kaui, MA, SLP-CCC, Presentation Recording:HERE, Presentation Slides:Feeding Development Slides April 2024
- Improving interpretation for families who speak languages other than English, presented by: Emily Hartford, MD, Presentation Recording:Improving Interpretation May 2024 , Presentation Slides:Improving Interpretation Slides May 2024
- Kids in Crisis: Effective Pediatric Care through a Trauma-Informed Lens, presented by: Kira Mauseth, PhD, Presentation Recording:HERE , Presentation Slides: Effective Pediatric Care Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
The presentations below were part of our Child Development Series for 2023.
- Pediatric Gait – Presentation Recording & Pediatric Gait PowerPoint
- The Impacts of Technology on Child Development – Presentation Recording
- The Power of Play – Presentation Recording
- Screening and Early Intervention for Pediatric Language Development – Presentation Recording (passcode: GTD2DsV+) & Language PowerPoint
- Spreading HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) in the Pediatric Health Care Setting – HOPE Presentation & HOPE Resource Binder
- Torticollis & Plagiocephaly – Presentation Part 1 / Part 2 & PowerPoint
- Supporting Breastfeeding Families – PowerPoint
*Please note: CME credit is not available for viewing recordings or slides.