New SAMHSA Toolbox Promotes Mental Health and School Readiness in Young Children

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

SAMHSA has launched a virtual toolbox to guide early childhood leaders in promoting the mental health and school readiness of young children. The release comes in anticipation of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, which will be observed on May 4.

The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Toolbox, available at https://www.samhsa.gov/iecmhc/toolbox, includes videos, interactive products and resources to enhance early childhood programs through implementing or expanding mental health consultation. The toolbox focuses on five main areas:

Models
Workforce Development
Systems and Policy
Research and Evaluation
Financing

The need to build, strengthen and expand infant and early childhood mental health consultation services across the country cannot be overstated. According to the Administration for Children and Families, only one in five teachers has received training on facilitating children’s social and emotional growth, though far more have asked for it. Infant and early childhood mental health consultation has been shown to work. A recent study shows that mental health consultation reduced preschool expulsions(link is external) by almost 50 percent. In addition, data indicate that almost 90 percent of home visitors(link is external) with infant and early childhood mental health consultation supports are more knowledgeable about infant and young children’s emotional and behavioral needs and follow-up services available.

14 IECMHC Pilot Sites

To shape early childhood practices and policies, the Center of Excellence will be working with 14 pilot sites across the country, including 12 states and two tribal nations. These pilot sites will receive intensive technical assistance so they can more effectively implement and expand IECMHC, increase caregiver skills and ensure early identification of children at risk for behavioral, developmental or mental health issues. Pilot sites include the following:

Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Early Childhood Learning Center
Colorado Office of Early Childhood
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Qualla Boundary Head Start and Early Head Start
Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development
Iowa Department of Public Health Office of Child Development and Early Learning
Minnesota Department of Human Services, Mental Health Division
Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Development
Montana Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood Services Bureau
New York State Council on Children and Families
North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning
Utah Administration for Youth and Families, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Children and Families
Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health

IECMHC Webinars and Podcasts

Beginning this month, The Center of Excellence will launch a series of training opportunities through webinars and podcasts for all interested early childhood leaders in states, Tribal Nations and communities.

Topics will include:

What is infant and early childhood mental health consultation?
Toolbox 101
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation Toolbox for Beginning Users
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation Toolbox for Intermediate Users
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation Toolbox for Advanced Users
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation Models
Financing infant and early childhood mental health consultation
Competencies in infant and early childhood mental health consultation
Research and Evaluation in infant and early childhood mental health consultation
Culturally-based Mental Health Considerations

To learn more about the webinars or infant and early childhood mental health consultation in general, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/iecmhc/podcasts-webinars/

For more information, contact the SAMHSA Press Office at 240-276-2130.