Young Child Mental Health The Community Collaborative Approach

N A TI ON A L S MA R T S TA R T C ON F E R E N C E MA Y 3, 2 01 1

The Big Picture: What is “Young Child Mental Health” and

W H A T I S H A P P E N I N G S T A T E W I D E I N 2 0 1 1 ?

What is young child mental health?

Positive social-emotional development Developing the ability to:  Form secure relationships     Handle emotions Manage one’s own behavior Feel safe, secure, and loved Explore and learn

Thinking about all levels of the continuum    Prevention Screening and identification (using existing resources, medical home) Intervention (family-focused, integrated with other services, evidence-based or best practice)

What children need intervention? A few examples… • • • • • Toddlers moved from foster home to foster home due to uncontrollable tantrums Preschoolers expelled from multiple day care centers, causing parents to lose jobs Children arriving at kindergarten unable to get along with other children despite normal intelligence Child witnesses or victims of violence Babies whose growth is stunted due to lack of nurturing care.

What resources and challenges exist across NC?

  We don’t have all the information we need to plan, advocate, and implement Advocates from several collaboratives approached the legislature, which funded an IOM study on this topic

The Institute of Medicine study is underway to… • • • • Examine the needs, gaps, strengths and resources of service systems throughout the state as they affect 0-5 mental health Evaluate recent treatment research for its potential to inform our services system and help our children Recommend ways to move forward, using our limited resources to best effect Spearhead policy shifts that will make a difference across North Carolina

We all need to get involved!

 Currently, formation is in process of a North Carolina “Infant/Young Child Mental Health Association” to be   Interdisciplinary Multipurpose (education, advocacy, networking, etc)  Statewide

Western North Carolina

North Carolina Counties