Upcoming June Quarterly Webinar
Join us for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Voices from the Field. This webinar will offer participants an opportunity to learn from 5 professionals who provide infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) in North Carolina. Panelists offer decades of experience and knowledge from various organizations, backgrounds and communities and will provide examples of how they each provide services along the promotion, prevention and intervention continuum.
Following this webinar, attendees will:
- Understand Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) as a unique field of practice
- Be introduced to the National Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Competencies
- Learn about some of the challenges and successes that our panelists face in their unique roles providing IECMHC across North Carolina
NCIMHA members are FREE
*Membership scholarships available via www.NCIMHA.org/membership
Non-members are $15
Certificate of Attendance provided. Training meets the requirements for the Culturally Responsive, Relationship Focused Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®
Meet Our Panelists:
Tykara Young, MSW, LCSWA, ECMH-E®, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Lauren Thomason, MA, LCMHC, ITTI Care Project Coach
Zulaykha Clemons-Dunn, MS, EChO Program Manager, Exchange Family Center
Tipfanie Suitte, MSW, LCSW, EChO Mental Health Consultant
Katie Clay-Wakefield, MA, LCMHC, Mental Health Consultant for Head Start of Buncombe and Madison Counties/ Katie Clay-Wakefield Counseling & Consulting, PLLC
What is IECMHC?
IECMHC is a prevention-based approach that pairs a mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and young children in the different settings where they learn and grow, such as child care, preschool, home visiting, early intervention and their homes. Mental health consultation is not about “fixing kids” – nor is it therapy. IECMHC strengthens adults’ capacity to facilitate young children’s healthy social and emotional development using a consultative stance.
Many states have statewide programs and the Center of Excellence for IECMHC (CoE) hosted by Georgetown University is the national resource guiding the field of practice. The CoE provides technical assistance to increase access to high quality mental health consultation throughout the country. Equity is central to IECMHC and the CoE helps consultation systems leaders and all IECMHC practitioners build capacity in understanding race and systemic racism, bias, and culturally responsive practice and meaningfully embed equity in their programs and practice.
What Do IECMH Consultants Do?
IECMH consultants develop relationships with the adults in young children’s lives to build adults’ capacity and skills to strengthen and support the healthy social and emotional development of children―early and often before formalized intervention is needed.
IECMH Consultants:
- Work to support strong relationships and supportive environments for children.
- Focus on building the capacity of the adults in children’s lives to understand young children’s social emotional development
- Are highly-trained professionals and are often licensed mental health clinicians
- Have specialized knowledge in early childhood development, the effects of stress and trauma on families, the importance of attachment for young children, and the impacts of adult mental health on children
- Use a strengths-based approach and consider all levels of influence to support young children and their caregivers
What Are the Outcomes of IECMHC?
- IECMHC has been shown to improve children’s social skills and emotional functioning, promote healthy relationships, reduce challenging behaviors, reduce the number of suspensions and expulsions, improve classroom quality, and reduce provider stress, burnout, and turnover.
Ongoing Sessions & Meetings
Statewide Advisory Committee on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®
Monthly multi-disciplinary committee meeting created to advise and assist with the implementation of Infant Mental Health Endorsement® throughout North Carolina.
Board Chair: Asata Virgo
Date/Location: Every 3rd Tuesday from 10:30am-12pm via Zoom
Questions? Email Endorsement@NCIMHA.0rg for more information
Endorsement 101
Introductory session tailored towards those interested in applying for Infant Mental Health Endorsement®
Participants will learn more about the categories of Endorsement, requirements for each category, and the process for applying for Endorsement in North Carolina. Ample time will be provided for specific questions and discussion.
Facilitator: Jess Taylor-Pickford, NCIMHA Endorsement Coordinator
Date/Location: Dates vary (see upcoming dates and register here) via Zoom
Questions? Email Endorsement@NCIMHA.org
Click here for a complete list of NCIMHA events and meetings