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The Early Childhood Committee
Co-Chairs: Gaylord Gieseke and Karen Freel Staff: Ashleigh Kirk
History:
The Early Childhood
Committee envisions a strong early childhood component within a
comprehensive, coordinated children’s mental health system with the
capacity and expertise to promote social emotional health and
prevention of social emotional problems by providing mental health
early intervention and treatment services for children from birth to
age five within the context of their families and caregivers as full
partners. The Early Childhood Committee has been active since 2000,
pre-dating the formation of ICMHP. The ECC has over 100 members, with
active participation from most early childhood serving systems. The ECC
meets quarterly to stay informed on the current activities of the four
Work Groups, participate in advocacy updates, and learn about an
innovative practice or program in the early childhood field.
Accomplishments:
Community mental health agencies get help with early childhood issues: Early Childhood Children's Mental Health Consultation Project is enhancing the capacity of community mental health agencies to address the mental health needs of young children ages 0-7. Legislation helps reduce postpartum depression for new mothers: ICMHP supported passage of the Perinatal Mental Health Disorders Prevention and Treatment Act (SB0015) to help curb postpartum depression among new mothers and improve their children's healthy development. -
Infancy and early childhood mental health and developmental disorders receive diagnostic classification: A workgroup of the Early Childhood Committee completed a crosswalk of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC: 0-3) with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM IV) in order to increase the capacity of mental health agencies to deliver services to children under age three and their families.
Building a network of early childhood mental health professionals: Early Childhood Consultants Statewide Network has brought together approximately 75 early childhood mental health consultants to build a network of professionals who are working with early childhood programs under the auspices of various state agencies.
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Developing an innovative network of Reflective Learning Groups for early childhood mental health consultants: The Reflective Learning Groups bring together over 60 consultants from 6 state-wide early childhood mental health consultation initiatives to increase collaboration between child-serving systems, reduce isolation of consultants, and enhance professional development opportunities for consultants.
Current Activities:
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