Helping families with children under age five (prior to kindergarten entrance) navigate opportunities and resources, including early childhood screening and preschool enrollment.

Helping families with:

  • Preschool registration and scholarship assistance
  • Early childhood screening connection and follow-up
  • Childcare applications and financial assistance
  • Navigation and connection to local organizations and resources including but not limited to:
    • Food access
    • Housing
    • Transportation
    • Health care
    • Mental health services

Contact Us – ¡Se Habla Español!

navigator@healthycommunityinitiative.org
call or text 507-301-6345

Sign up for early childhood screening!

Faribault and Northfield Public Schools are glad to provide this free health and development screening. Early childhood staff help parents learn more about their child’s development and how to prepare for kindergarten. Early Childhood Screening is required by the state of Minnesota. It is best to have children screened when they are 3 1/2 years old, or at least one year prior to starting kindergarten. Vision, hearing, growth, immunization records and overall development are discussed. Parents receive information about how to connect with local early learning programs, and how to help their child be ready for kindergarten.

Find more information about early childhood screening in multiple languages: Minnesota Department of Education.

Help Rice County meet its goal to have all children complete early childhood screening by the time they are 3 1/2 years old! 

Early Reading

Enjoy story times and more on our Growing Up Healthy YouTube channel

Minnesota Reading Corps has created resources for parents to support their child’s learning during the coronavirus pandemic. Click here for a library of educational videos to share with your child.

Additional resources to support your child’s early literacy skills:

Find local programming and resources