Helping Ohio Preschoolers Excel
Are you an early learning professional seeking to provide the best support for children? Or facing behaviors that challenge and unsure how to respond?
The Helping Ohio Preschoolers Excel line, previously known as the Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership, is here for you. Whether you have questions about a child’s needs or are searching for guidance, we offer the support you need.
Helping Ohio Preschoolers Excel is an evidence-informed, statewide program that connects early learning professionals to long-term support, enhancing their capacity and self-efficacy while creating nurturing learning environments.
This FREE program offers a range of valuable resources, including:
- Rapid Response Consultation
- Social Emotional Resources
- Professional Development
- Linkages to Community Resources
These services are designed specifically for early learning professionals working with children ages 0 to 8, and are available for:
- Any licensed early care site in the state, including Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Family Childcare Centers
- Head Start programs
- Private preschools
The program will:
- Connect with your program to provide support within 48 hours of your request
- Help reduce the risk of expulsion for children in early learning environments by providing support, training and other resources to early learning professionals
- Provide tools and resources for managing behaviors that challenge through observation, modeling specific strategies and information on specific topics
- Offer coaching, information and resources to address a wide range of needs, including behavior management, developmental milestones and family engagement
- Link you to helpful, free Ohio Approved Trainings
If you're a parent or provider wanting to learn more about this service, please see the FAQs below.
Request an On-Site Consultation
Request a Helping Ohio Preschoolers Excel ConsultationRequest a Training
Request an Early Childhood TrainingFrequently Asked Questions
- Call (844) 678-2227 or complete our online request form.
- The call line is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
- Calls made after hours will be returned by 10 a.m. the next business day.
- Your free on-site consultation will be scheduled within two business days of speaking with a program representative.
Consultants work with you to:
- Observe the child in your early learning setting
- Provide strategies shown to have immediate results and reduce problem behaviors
- Offer suggestions for potential services for your students and families (including referrals to mental health providers if necessary)
- Connect you with free early childhood trainings
Please note the consultation is not an assessment, therapy or treatment.
- Trainings are FREE to early childhood programs
- Topics include working with children with challenging behaviors and other topics related to early childhood development and mental health topics
- Ohio Approved/Step Up To Quality credits are available. Learn more about Ohio’s Quality Rating System, Step Up to Quality.
Helping Ohio Preschoolers Excel is a collaboration among the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), Big Lots Behavioral Health Services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and local early childhood mental health providers.
The partnership is funded by OhioMHAS as part of the Whole Child Matters initiative. This initiative allows early childhood mental health professionals to prevent the expulsion of young children and work with teachers and staff in preschools and early learning programs.
- Positive Early Childhood Education Online Course (PECE): The online PECE course for early childhood educators and care providers is a professional learning program designed to promote positive self-regulation and social competencies in children while fostering strong educator/child relationships as well as those with colleagues and parents.
- Ongoing consultation may be available. Learn more.
Download this flyer and take it to your early learning program so they can access the hotline.
Download this flyer and encourage your patient families to take it to their early learning program so they can access the hotline.
Testimonials
“We are always truly impressed by their tailored recommendations and deep understanding of classroom and program dynamics. Their team provides invaluable insights and strategies that not only address our immediate concerns, but also foster professional growth and development within our staff. The program delivers clear, realistic recommendations that we feel confident implementing. It has truly strengthened our program, assisted in the development of staff and has enriched our connections with the families we serve.”
–Director of Operations, Barrington School
“Our consultant has become a huge asset to us, our children, and our families. In addition to the targeted advice she has offered for specific children/situations, she has provided frameworks for thinking about challenging behavior, knowledge that helps us understand children better, and interventions that can be applied in many situations. Her advice feels very personalized - that she has considered who we are as a program, who the child is, and the family situation. Best of all, her suggestions feel like true suggestions, not dictates, allowing us to decide if and how to implement them in a way that makes sense in our context. We are very grateful for the services.”
–Co-director, part-time preschool program
"Thank you for spending time with (classroom teacher) and I. It is good to have someone with fresh eyes and voice to offer sound advice. I have taken your guidance to heart and will be more intent to being more positive with staff. I have also thought about the non-negotiables that I want to tackle in the near future. Maintaining proper balance can be difficult."
-Director of small community based preschool program in Columbus, OH
"This afternoon I sang his bed time song, “10 Little Ducks,” to him and another teacher chimed in with me. He stared right at me like I was finally speaking his language, then he started singing with me. I felt like crying, what a break through. I know we have a long way to go, but I feel with your help, already we are starting that break though!
We appreciate all your time and help."
-Child Care Center, Northwest Ohio