What is Early Childhood Mental Health?

As attention to early childhood mental health has increased, some people question the use of the term “mental health” in connection with young children, given the stigma still associated with mental illness. Can infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers even be mentally ill and, secondly, even if they can, why would we want to attach such a label to a child that might stick with him or her for a long time and negatively affect the way others respond to the child? Why call it early childhood mental health? To begin with, mental illness and mental health are not the same thing, even though they are often closely connected because, for example, agencies that treat mental illness often have the words “mental health” in their names. But one term focuses on a problem (illness), while the other focuses on something positive (health). When we talk about “early childhood mental health,” we are not primarily talking about bipolar disorder, major depression, or even oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, even though it is possible that some of the young children served by early childhood mental health initiatives will develop those illnesses. Rather, we are referring to the positive results of intervening early before problems develop into something more serious. Simply put, early childhood mental health is the same as healthy social and emotional development in young children, encompassing things like learning to express and regulate emotions, forming close and secure personal relationships, and exploring and learning about their environment (paraphrased from the definition developed by Zero to Three’s Infant Mental Health Task Force and used by Pennsylvania’s Infant-Toddler Mental Health Project.) So why don’t we call it “early childhood social and emotional development?” Besides that being quite a mouthful, the language of mental health is important not only for its educational value in combating stigma against mental health problems, but also for its implicit reminder that if we don’t do our job with prevention with young children, their problems may require more serious interventions later in life. We truly do want them to develop good “mental health” in the most positive sense of that term.

Early Childhood Mental Health Initiatives in Pennsylvania, May 2008

This first edition of a periodic update contains information about the December 2007 Infant-Toddler Mental Health Symposium, as well as brief summaries of a number of other ECMH-related initiatives. It is designed to be printed and distributed to interested people as appropriate.

• Briefing Report from Pennsylvania’s Infant-Toddler Mental Health Symposium, December 2007

Early Childhood Mental Health Advisory Committee Meets for the First Time

On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, the newly-formed statewide Early Childhood Mental Health Advisory Committee met for the first time in Harrisburg. As a sign of the intense interest in early childhood mental health, approximately 55 people attended the first meeting. Even more individuals expressed interest in being part of the committee but were unable to attend.

The meeting was planned and hosted by four program offices in the Department of Public Welfare: Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. These four offices also collaborated in planning the Infant-Toddler Mental Health Symposium held in December 2007, which motivated the development of this advisory committee as a way to carry forward the momentum created by that event . The planning committee also hopes to involve the Office of Developmental Programs in the future.

Estelle Richman, Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare, welcomed members to the new committee and highlighted the importance of focused attention on the social and emotional needs of very young children. OMHSAS Deputy Secretary Joan Erney also expressed her support for the committee and its goal of “ensuring that coordinated mental health services are available for young children across the Commonwealth.”

In addition to receiving the charge for its work from Secretary Richman and Deputy Secretary Erney, the committee chose three topics in early childhood mental health as beginning priorities. Committee members each chose a topic and worked together in small groups to develop strategies for addressing these topics. The three focus areas are prevention and intervention, workforce development, and communication and collaboration. Infused into the work on each of these priorities will be an emphasis on engaging parents and family members, funding issues, program evaluation and diversity.

A nominating committee was also appointed to assist in selecting the first co-chairs of the advisory committee. The next meeting will be held in September 2008, beginning a regular quarterly schedule of meetings.

Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services are partnering to promote healthy social and emotional development in young children. The two offices have combined resources to establish an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project to serve infants and toddlers birth to age three in early care and learning centers. Originally funded by grants and operating in three regions of the state, the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project has expanded statewide during fiscal year 2007/08. There are Early Childhood Mental Health consultants in each of the six regional Keys that serve early learning programs in Pennsylvania. The consultants help staff at early care and learning centers by observing children and program practices, developing goals and strategies to enhance the practitioners’ capacity to encourage positive relationships, creating a learning environment that promotes positive behaviors, and addressing the needs of children who are experiencing behavioral challenges. As a resource to the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants, a child psychiatrist is available for clinical consultation. In addition, collaboration between county children’s mental health systems and the consultants is encouraged when young children need to be referred to the mental health system.

• Directory of Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants (find your Regional Key on the map)
  

Resources on Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

• Characteristics of Effective Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood Settings: Multilevel Analysis of a National Survey, by B. Green, M. Everhart, L. Gordon, and M. G. Gettman. Published in 2006 in Topics in Early Childhood Special Education (Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 142-152).
• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, by E. Cohen and R. Kaufmann. Volume 1 of 2005 series on Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental Health and Behavioral Disorders, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: A Developing Profession, by M. Allen, E. Brennan, B. Green, K. Hepburn & R. Kaufmann. Published in the Winter 2008 edition of Focal Point, a publication of the Research and Training Center in Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University.
• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: An Evaluation Tool Kit, by K. Hepburn, et al. Published in 2007 by the National Technical Assistance Center at Georgetown University, and the Research and Training Center in Family Support and Children’s Mental Health at Portland State University.

Additional Resources on Early Childhood Mental Health

• Child, Family and Community Core Competencies: Competencies for Infant-Toddler and Early Childhood Mental Health Professionals, by M. Hansen, C. Anderson, S. Peters, M. Lindblad-Goldberg & D. Marsh. Published in 1999 by the former PA CASSP Training and Technical Assistance Institute. Contact hsb5@psu.edu for a copy.
• Helping Young Children Succeed: Strategies to Promote Early Childhood Social and Emotional Development, by J. Choen, N. Onunaku, S. Clothier & J. Poppe. Published in 2005 by the National Conference of State Legislators and Zero to Three.
• Improving maternal and infant mental health: Focus on maternal depression, by N. Onunaku. Published in 2005 by Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families.
• Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Supporting Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior, by L. Fox, S. Jack & L. Broyles. Published in 2005 by the University of South Florida’s Mental Health Institute.
• Promising Practices in Early Childhood Mental Health, by J. Simpson, P. Jivanjee, N. Koroloff & M. Garcia. Volume III in the 2001 Series on Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• Putting It Together: Providing Mental Health Services in Early Intervention, by S. Burns, V. Stagg, and B. Brennermon. Published in 1999 as a CASSP Monograph.
• Reducing maternal depression and its impact on children: Toward a responsive early childhood policy framework, by J. Knitzer, S. Theberge, S. & K. Johnson. Published in 2008 by the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University.
• The Social and Emotional Development of Young Children, March 2008 edition of the PA?CASSP?Newsletter, published by the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services.
• What Is Infant Mental Health?