ADMH Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation - What It Is and Why It Is Important is proudly presented to you by CEQ Alabama Department of Mental Health. Thank you. We hope that you enjoy your course.
MODULE 1
ADMH Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation - What It Is and Why It Is Important
Over the last ten to fifteen years, infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) has been recognized around the world as an effective and evidence-based strategy to promote infants’ and young children’s positive social and emotional development and behavioral health. In Alabama, IECMHC is relatively new, having become formally recognized and supported at the state level just since 2015.
IECMHC is a prevention-based approach that pairs a mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and young children in a variety of different settings and programs where they learn and grow, such as early care and education classrooms, Home Visiting programs, pediatrician’s offices, and Early Intervention. IECMHC may also be provided to the adults working with moms and dads of infants and young children, even if the children themselves are not directly served, such as in women’s homeless shelters, substance use disorder treatment programs for pregnant and post-natal women, in family court settings, and more. In all these different type settings and programs, IECMH Consultants develop relationships with the adults and caregivers in young children’s lives to help build adult’s capacity and skills to strengthen and support the healthy social and emotional develop of children-early and before formalized intervention is needed.
The goal of this course is to provide Part C Early Intervention (EI) personnel with knowledge about IECMH and IECMHC, how it can benefit their work with families and young children they serve, and how to access this service.
This course is required for any EI Service Coordinator who requests IECMH Consultation services for children/families on their caseload and is highly recommended for all EI team members so that everyone becomes aware of the benefits of the service.