Parent Aware Information

Parent Aware gives you the tools and information to find the best quality child care and early education for your child. www.parentaware.org/learn

Grand Marais Family Dentistry
Address: 303 east third street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-1393
The Oral Health Task Force Committee arranges screenings monthly in conjunction with Early Childhood Screenings at the Cook County Schools. At the screenings, children and parents can learn great educational tips, how to access the sliding fee scale for dental services, and get an assessment to show the child’s risk for tooth decay. Several free days are offered throughout the year.
Click here for Oral Health Task Force Sliding Fee Scale Application Instructions and the Oral Health Sliding Fee Scale Application. Mail applications to PO Box 454, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Call 218-387-2334 for more information regarding the Oral Health Task Force and the services it offers.

Cook County Public Health and Human Services
Case management and information and referral services to children and adults coping with emotional disturbance and mental illness
Address: 411 W 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-3620

Cook County Schools
Address: 101 West 5th Street – Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 387-2000
There is an urgent and substantial need to identify as early as possible the infants and toddlers in need of services to ensure that intervention and support is provided when the developing brain is most capable of change. Intervention is likely to be more effective and less costly when provided earlier in life rather than later. To refer a child (including your own) for evaluation to see if he or she qualifies for any special education services, please fill out this referral form. Services are provided by the school district at no cost to the family.

Cook County Schools
Early Childhood Screening is a simple check to identify health or developmental needs of children during the early years. Screening appointments are available throughout the school year. The State of Minnesota requires children be screened prior to public school kindergarten enrollment. There is no cost.
Address: 101 West 5th Street – Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 387-2000 x 616

Cook County Community Education
Parent/child programs for families with children ages birth-5. Parents and children come to play, learn, and meet new friends. Parents have the opportunity to share ideas, questions, and concerns through discussion and learning, with the parent educator.
Address: 101 West 5th Street – Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 387-2000 x 616

Sawtooth Elementary School, ISD 166: 101 W 5th Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604 | 218-387-1273
Great Expectations Charter School: 550 E 5th Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604 | 218-387-9322
Birch Grove Community School: 9 Goodneighbor Hill Road, Tofte, MN 55615 | 218-663-0170
Oshki Ogimaag Charter School: 73 Upper Rd, Grand Portage, MN 55605 | 218-475-2112
School Readiness resources from the Minnesota Department of Education

Cook County Child Care Assistance Program Guidelines
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is offered by the State of Minnesota and administered by individual counties. It is designed to assist eligible parents/guardians with the costs of Child Care during employment, job search, school or other authorized activities. The ultimate goal is for the parent/guardian to become gainfully employed.
Address: 411 W. 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-3620 (Andrea DeBoer)

The Northland Foundation is helping connect families in our region with state Early Learning Scholarships up to $7,500 per child, per year.

Children ages 3 to 4 years old who live in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis County, Minnesota, may qualify based on household income.

Children ages birth to 5 years whose parents are under the age of 21, have experienced homelessness within the past 24 months, are in foster care, or receiving child protective services also may qualify and will receive priority for funds.

The money is paid directly to the Parent Aware-rated setting of the family’s choice, to help families cover the cost. The setting must be part of Parent Aware. It may be a licensed family child care, child care center, Head Start program, preschool, or school-based prekindergarten program.

If you have questions about the scholarships or the application, or to ask us to mail you the application, call the Northland Foundation at:

218-260-2736 or 1-800-433-4045

Below are links for (1) directions to help you fill out the application, and (2) the application form itself. Be sure to fill out all of the pages and sign it.

Whether you fill this form out in Adobe Acrobat or print it and fill it out by hand, you need access to a printer (the application is 14 pages total). If you cannot print out a copy yourself, please call us. We can mail you the application and instructions.

1. Directions for the Application
2. Early Learning Scholarship Application

You must send the completed application through the mail. Mail the finished application to:

Northland Foundation
202 W Superior Street, Suite 610
Duluth, MN 55802

You can also find out more at the Minnesota Department of Education website or the Parent Aware website.

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)
Learn more about MFIP
Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) provides funds and employment services for low-income families.
e families with children, up to age 19 who have not yet graduated from high school. MFIP includes help to pay for basic needs such as cash, food, shelter and utilities. The funds and supports help parents to look for work and retain jobs. Parents must work with employment counselors to develop and update personal employment plans as long as they are in the program.

Supports for work include:
* Employment counseling
* Job training or education toward a work goal
* Work clothing
* Child care
* Transportation

The MFIP grant is issued automatically through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. To learn about how to use an EBT card, visit: https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-3315A-ENG

MFIP brings employers’ needs for workers and the needs of people on public assistance together for work.

By working closely together, employers, schools and government can ready people on public assistance for existing jobs, help those now in the workforce gain new skills and prepare future workers for tomorrow’s jobs.

Working families are rewarded –
Working parents below income limits may still get an MFIP grant. The grant adds to the family income, helping families to work their way out of poverty.
* On the Minnesota Family Investment Program, the first 43 percent of earned income does not count in deciding the amount of the grant. A single parent with two children and working 40 hours per week can earn as much as $10.95 per hour and remain on the Minnesota Family Investment Program.
* If applying for aid for the first time, the family may own up to $2,000 in property and still qualify for a grant. Once a case is open, the parent(s) may own up to $5,000 in property and still get help. A county worker can give families information on what property is counted and what is not counted.
The parent(s) may own a licensed vehicle with a total loan value up to $10,000. The county will apply any excess loan value to the asset limits. If the family owns more than one vehicle, the combined value over $7,500 of all other vehicles must be counted towards the asset limit.

Address: 411 W. 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-3623 (Allison McIntire)

To learn more about Medical Assistance, Minnesota Care, Advanced Premium Tax Credit contact:

Public Health and Human Services:
Address: 411 W. 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-3623 (Allison McIntire)
OR
Address: Sawtooth Mountain Clinic: 513 Fifth Avenue West, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-2330 (Rachelle Christianson)

Cook County Public Health and Human Services
Address: 411 W 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Phone: 218-387-3620