A variety of participation-based outcomes were included in the Individualized Family Service Plan and a schedule of weekly home visits was established. Because the home was bilingual, the evaluation and subsequent services were provided in German and English. As Cecelia turned two, Mr. And Mrs. Marks requested an evaluation from the ECI program because of concerns about Ceceli’s behavior. The ECI provider gave the family various resources and information, reassuring the family of the opportunity to self-refer in the future.

• Simple activities like circle time, collaborative art projects, or dramatic play areas help children develop their social skills naturally.
• It would be beneficial for future studies to explore qualitative experiences of parents in the program.
• An earlier evaluation of Project PLAY’s pilot predecessor found significant positive effects for teacher reports of children’s attachment and decreases in behavior problems in 14 intervention sites compared to four control sites.
• IECMH includes a variety of direct and indirect services to young children, their families, and other caregivers.
• Even when historically marginalized children with disabilities are identified, there is a disproportionate delay in receiving needed EI services at the period known to be critical to mitigate risks and promote growth and development 35,36.
• To support Robert, the consultant helps both his parents and child care staff understand his behavior and develop strategies at home and in the classroom to create a greater sense of predictability for him.

‘Bring her home’: Savannah Guthrie addresses her mother missing in possible abduction

An increased emphasis on the importance of the perinatal and infancy period has contributed to the development of programs that aim to either prevent the emergence of mental health disorders or intervene early if they do develop (Van Ravesteyn et al., 2017). Consequently, enhancing parental mentalizing capacity and parent child attachment security will promote positive mental health in infants and young children, and may work toward preventing mental health difficulties. Parents who provide care in this way allow their infant to develop optimal early social-emotional skills, secure infant-parent relationships and cognitive ability (The National Health and Medical Research Council, 2017). Attachment theory asserts that the relationship between the infant and their primary carers has an important influence on the development of the capacity for emotional and behavioral regulation (Bowlby, 1969; Ainsworth et al., 1978).

How can the school support my child’s mental health?

When the scaffolding works well, it can help keep mental health development on track, even in the face of some risks; when not working well, the impact of stressors may be magnified. As such, prevention or intervention efforts during these time periods are likely uniquely powerful windows of opportunity for correcting early deviations from mental well-being, potentially shifting mental health trajectories for life. The Life Course Health Development (LCHD) approach suggests that a person’s mental health development can be represented as a trajectory that is affected over time by risk and protective factors, arrayed in a multilayered relational developmental ecosystem.20–22 The early years are viewed as a time of heightened neuroplasticity, punctuated by specific sensitive periods, which represent key developmental windows during which the physiologic effort to “rewrite” neural connections is lessened.

For example, children with poor 88 ways to get mental health support mental health may struggle with their emotions, have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, and exhibit disruptive and aggressive behavior. This concept paper explores California’s opportunity to improve the health and development of young children by leveraging the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health Services Initiatives (HSIs). Early experiences and relationships with caregivers shape the architecture of a developing brain and lay the foundation for mental health across an individual’s life. It is especially critical to address trauma, mental, and behavioral health concerns in early childhood when 90% of a child’s brain development occurs before age 5. Infants and young children can—and do—suffer from mental and behavioral health challenges.

More than 13 percent of rural mothers in Colorado experience postpartum depression, which is slightly higher than for other regions.15 Postpartum depression must be addressed to keep mothers healthy and confident in their parenting. The Special Connections program provides free screening, counseling, and case management for pregnant women who are enrolled in Medicaid. Recently, Early Learning Ventures launched the Teachers, Learning, and Collaborating initiative where monthly teacher learning groups are supported by qualified coaches, trainers, and other professionals. Specially trained nurses in the Nurse-Family Partnership regularly visit young, first-time moms-to-be, starting early in the pregnancy and continuing through the child’s second birthday.