Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) services:

IECMHC is an intensive service aiming to build the capacity of Early Care and Education providers to support the development of young children’s social and emotional skills while preventing the use of suspension and expulsion. Increased social and emotional competencies provide children with essential skills needed to not only be successful in early care and education programs but in future academic settings, and throughout life. 

The IECMHC program uses evidence and experience-based practices centering services around equity and inclusion with a strong focus on relationships. Working collaboratively with ECE staff, child care specialists and community agencies, tiered levels of support are provided to meet the unique needs of each program, classroom, child and their family.

IECMHC Impact:

Child:

  • Greater gains in social and emotional competencies
  • Decreased challenging behaviors
  • Maintain enrollment in child care program 

Educator:

  • Confident and capable to address challenging behaviors
  • Better understanding of social emotional development
  • Lower levels of stress

 Family:

  • Improved family/educator communication
  • Increased parenting skills
  • Access to supporting mental health services and/or other referral services Program:
  • Reduced staff turnover
  • Improved program quality and classroom climate

What IECMHC looks like:

Consultation is individualized to each program and their specific needs. Often during IECMHC one or more of the following activities is used:

  • Observation, screening, and assessment
  • Resource sharing
  • Coaching support
  • Program policy and procedure support
  • Training with implementation coaching
  • Community referral assistance

Questions about IECMHC program?