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Mental Health Needs of Young Children

The following sample of Federal agencies and national organizations have information about early childhood mental health, professional development on early childhood mental health issues, and general mental health topics. The publications listed below have information on collaborative efforts that address the mental health needs of children in child care and general information on the mental health and young children.

Federal Agencies: Early Childhood Mental Health

National Organizations: Early Childhood Mental Health

  • Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior
    World Wide Web: http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/

    The Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, to raise the awareness and implementation of positive, evidence-based practices and to build an enhanced and more accessible database to support those practices. The Center is engaged in a comprehensive and collaborative process for identifying evidence-based practices; developing partnerships with national early childhood organizations and other dissemination networks to ensure a widespread campaign of awareness and system enhancement; developing materials and implementation strategies to impact personnel preparation; and implementing a national research program to address critical issues for young children and their families affected by challenging behavior.
  • Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Children’s Research Center
    51 Gerty Drive
    Champaign, IL 61820-7469
    217-333-1386 or 800-583-4135
    World Wide Web: http://www.csefel.uiuc.edu

    CSEFEL is a national center focused on strengthening the capacity of child care and Head Start to improve the social and emotional outcomes of young children. The Center produces What Works Briefs that provide summaries of effective practices that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for supporting children’s social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors. In addition, CSEFEL focuses on promoting the social and emotional development of children as a means of preventing challenging behaviors; collaborates with existing training/technical assistance (T/TA) providers for the purpose of ensuring the implementation and sustainability of practices at the local level; engages in a comprehensive, culturally sensitive approach that is inclusive of and responsive to the needs of programs, families, other professionals, and communities; provides ongoing identification of training needs and preferred delivery formats of local programs and T/TA providers; and disseminates evidence-based practices.
  • Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
    Department of Psychology (MC 285)
    University of Illinois at Chicago
    1007 West Harrison Street
    Chicago, IL 60607-7137
    World Wide Web: http://www.casel.org

    CASEL has a mission to establish social and emotional learning as an essential part of education from preschool through high school. It includes and collaborates with an international network of leading researchers and practitioners in the fields of social and emotional learning, prevention, positive youth development, character education, and school reform. CASEL conducted a comprehensive evaluation of school-based programs (prekindergarten through 12th grade) that promote children’s social and emotional development.
  • Committee for Children
    2203 Airport Way South, Suite 500
    Seattle, WA 98134
    800-634-4449
    World Wide Web: http://www.cfchildren.org

    The Committee for Children’s mission is to promote the safety, well-being, and social development of children. Its first curriculum was Talking about Touching. Recently, the Committee for Children has focused on breaking the cycle of abuse by addressing its core cause—a lack of social and emotional skills among victimizers. Second Step, a violence prevention curriculum, is the result. Second Step is a school-based social skills curriculum for preschool through junior high that teaches children to change the attitudes and behaviors that contribute to violence. The curriculum teaches social skills to reduce impulsive and aggressive behavior in children and increase their level of social competence. Second Step has both school and family components. Second Step teaches the same three skill units at each grade level: Empathy, Impulse Control, and Anger Management. The curriculum provides opportunities for modeling, practice, and reinforcement of the new skill, and consists of three kits: Preschool/Kindergarten, Grades 1–3, and Grades 4–5. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.cfchildren.org/cfc/ssf/ssf/ssindex/.
  • Early Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC) at ZERO TO THREE
    2000 M Street NW, Suite 200
    Washington, DC 20036
    202-638-1144
    World Wide Web: http://www.ehsnrc.org

    EHS NRC was created in 1995 by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The EHS NRC is a storehouse of early childhood expertise that promotes the building of new knowledge and the sharing of information. It links and actively engages the Early Head Start and the Head Start community through opportunities, in coordination with the Head Start Bureau’s On-line Learning Center, to share resources and learn from one another in a variety of venues. EHS NRC also creates, collects, and disseminates information relevant to comprehensive early childhood programs. In addition, it provides professional development opportunities for the Early Head Start and Head Start community through face-to-face meetings and state-of-the-art distance learning experiences.

    EHS NRC is managing the Infant Mental Health Initiative for the Head Start Bureau. The activities of the Initiative include work in knowledge development, practice development, and policy development. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.ehsnrc.org/AboutUs/imhi.htm.
  • Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
    1101 King Street, Suite 420
    Alexandria, VA 22314
    703-684-7710
    World Wide Web: http://www.ffcmh.org

    The Federation is a national parent-run organization focused on the needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders and their families. Its mission is to provide leadership in the field of children’s mental health and develop necessary human and financial resources to meet its goals; to address the unique needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders from birth through the transition to adulthood; to ensure the rights of full citizenship, support, and access to community-based services; and to provide information and engage in advocacy regarding research, prevention, early intervention, family support, education, transition services and other services needed by these children, youth, and their families. This information is also available in Spanish.
  • Healthy Child Care America (HCCA)
    888-227-5409
    World Wide Web: http://www.healthychildcare.org

    HCCA is supported by the Child Care Bureau and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is a collaborative effort of health professionals, child care providers, and families seeking to improve the health and well-being of children in child care.

  • The National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy
    UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities
    University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
    1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 850
    Los Angeles, CA 90095-6939
    310-794-2583
    World Wide Web: http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/NationalCenter/

    The National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health supports Federal, State, and local early childhood agendas and assists Maternal and Child Health (MCH) agencies to play an important role in the development of comprehensive, integrated early childhood service systems. The Center develops and disseminates strategic planning tools as well as reports and policy briefs on topics relating to the improvement of early childhood services for all children. The Center analyzes data on programs and services for young children and families to inform national, state, and local policy development. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), the National Center achieves these goals through an active collaboration between UCLA, the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), the Women and Children's Health Policy Center at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

  • The National Center on Children in Poverty (NCCP)
    The Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University
    154 Haven Avenue
    New York, NY 10032
    212-304-7100
    World Wide Web: http://www.nccp.org

    The mission of NCCP is to identify and promote strategies that prevent young children living in poverty in the United States and that improve the life chances of the millions of children under age 6 who are growing up poor. The Promoting the Emotional Well-Being of Children and Families Policy Paper Series is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/pub_pew.html.
  • National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)
    Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG)
    University of North Carolina, CB #8040
    Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040
    919-962-2001
    World Wide Web: http://nectac.org

    NECTAC is a national technical assistance effort that supports programs for young children with special needs and their families under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These programs April 21, 2006rs with Disabilities and the Preschool Grants Program. NECTAC also provides services to selected model early childhood projects sponsored by the Office of Special Education of the U.S. Department of Education, to the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, to State-level technical assistance agencies, and to others working to improve services for young children with special needs and their families.
  • The National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health
    Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development
    Georgetown University Medical Center
    202-687-5000 or 202-687-8635
    World Wide Web: http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/

    The Technical Assistance Center serves as a national resource center for policy and technical assistance to improve service delivery and outcomes for children and adolescents with, or at-risk of, serious emotional disturbance and their families. The mission of the Technical Assistance Center is to assist States and communities in building systems of care that are child and family centered, culturally competent, coordinated, and community-based. It is supported by a cooperative agreement with the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Information about their publications on early intervention with young children is available on the Web at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/document.html#early.
  • Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health
    Portland State University
    P.O. Box 751
    Portland, OR 97207
    503-725-4040
    World Wide Web: http://www.rtc.pdx.edu

    The Center’s research and training activities focus on improving services to children and youth who have mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders and their families.

    The Center’s Models of Inclusion project aims to improve access to inclusive, family centered, culturally appropriate, and high-quality child care for families who have children with emotional or behavior disorders. Information about this project is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgProjInclusion.php.

    The Center’s Guidance for Program Design: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Young Children and their Families in Early Childhood Education Settings project is designed to develop, test, and disseminate a research-based approach to mental health program planning that can be used by early childhood staff in Head Start and other early childhood settings. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgProjGuidance.php.
  • ZERO TO THREE: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
    Infant Mental Health Resource Center
    734 15thStreet NW, Suite 1000
    Washington, DC 20005
    202-638-0851
    World Wide Web: http://www.zerotothree.org

    ZERO TO THREE is one of the nation’s leading resources on the first three years of life. Its aim is to strengthen and support families, practitioners, and communities to promote the healthy development of babies and toddlers.

    ZERO TO THREE’s Infant Mental Health (IMH) Resource Center brings researchers and clinicians together to define infant mental health, and helps to build the field of infant mental health research, practice, and policy through scientific debate, professional education, program consultation, leadership development, public awareness, parent education, policy analysis and development, and publishing.

    ZERO TO THREE has created an online directory of infant mental health training programs based on results from its national survey about where such training is taking place and what it encompasses. More than 25 infant mental health programs from 15 States are currently listed, and contact information can be found at the end of each program description.  The list of IMH training programs is available on the Web at http://www.zerotothree.org/imh/training.html.

Professional Development: Early Childhood Mental Health

  • Center on Infant Mental Health and Development
    University of Washington
    Box 357920
    Seattle, WA 98195-7920
    World Wide Web: http://depts.washington.edu/chdd/ucedd/cimhd_3/3_cimhdmain.html

    The mission of the Center on Infant Mental Health and Development is to promote interdisciplinary research and training related to the social and emotional aspects of development for young children during their formative years. Special emphasis is placed on vulnerable children at risk due to maternal mental health problems, extreme poverty and homelessness, absence of social supports, parental substance abuse, and related factors. Children already exhibiting developmental delays as a consequence of these factors are also of central interest to the center.
  • Institute for Training in Infant and Preschool Mental Health
    At Youth Consultation Services (YCS)
    15 South 9th Street
    Newark, NJ 07107
    973-483-2532
    World Wide Web: http://www.ycs.org/main_layout.php?content_id=102

    The Institute offers training programs in the assessment and treatment of infants, preschool-aged children, and the infant/child–parent relationship. The Institute has been established in partnership with Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology- Center for Applied Psychology, and is one of a few known programs in the nation that trains graduate students in psychology in the fields of infant and preschool mental health. The Institute offers workshops, seminars, brief courses, supervision, reading and case discussion groups to staff currently working with infants, preschool-aged children and their families such as Early Intervention Programs, Early Head Start Programs, Head Start programs, and infant and preschool programs. For additional information, contact Gerard Costa, Director, or Thea Bry, Clinical Psychologist/Consultant at 973-483-2532 or e-mail gcosta@ycs.org.

Federal Agencies: Mental Health

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
    Information Resources and Inquiries Branch
    5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7C-02
    Rockville, MD 20875
    FACTS ON DEMAND: 301-443-5158
    World Wide Web: http://www.nimh.nih.gov

    NIMH is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the principal biomedical and behavioral research agency of the United States Government. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Information on Child and Adolescent Mental Health is available on the Web at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/childmenu.cfm.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA)
    National Mental Health Information Center
    800-789-2647
    World Wide Web: http://www.mentalhealth.org

    The National Mental Health Information Center was developed for users of mental health services and their families, the general public, policy-makers, providers, and the media. It provides information about mental health via a toll-free telephone number, its Web site, and more than 200 publications. Staff direct callers to Federal, State, and local organizations dedicated to treating and preventing mental illness.

National Organizations: Mental Health

  •  American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
    3615 Wisconsin Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20016
    202-966-7300
    World Wide Web: http://www.aacap.org

    This Web site is designed to serve both AACAP Members, and parents and families. Information is provided as a public service to aid in the understanding and treatment of the developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders which affect an estimated 7 million to 12 million children and adolescents at any given time in the United States. The site has information on child and adolescent psychiatry, fact sheets for parents and caregivers, current research, practice guidelines, and much more.
  • National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
    200 North Glebe Road, Suite 1015
    Arlington, VA 22203-3754
    HELP LINE: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
    World Wide Web: http://www.nami.org

    NAMI is a primary source for information and referral on all aspects of mental illness. It informs the general public that mental illnesses are biologically based, treatable, and may eventually be curable. It encourages educators and caregivers to incorporate current research into mental illness practice. This site contains sections for youth and families.
  • National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
    1021 Prince Street
    Alexandria, VA 22314
    800-969-NMHA (6642)
    World Wide Web: http://www.nmha.org

    NMHA is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans, especially the 54 million people with mental disorders, through advocacy, education, research, and service. A section of this Web site is devoted to children and families. It contains information about government affairs at the State and Federal levels. This information is available on the Web at http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/72.cfm.

Publications Related to Mental Health and Children in Child Care

  • What Works Briefs by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL), provide summaries of effective practices that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for supporting children’s social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors. In addition to highlighting evidence-based practices, these briefs provide references and a section “Where do I find out more” that provides further information about the practices described and includes a user-friendly, one-page handout that highlights the major points. The scope of the What Works Briefs includes information on prevention and intervention practices in the social-emotional domain for children ages 2 through 5, as well as policies and administrative practices needed to support the use of evidence-based practices. What Works Briefs are available on the Web at http://www.csefel.uiuc.edu/whatworks.html.
  • Creating a Statewide System of Multi-Disciplinary Consultation for Early Care and Education in Connecticut (April 2005), by Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, Inc., supports policy-makers and early care and education leaders in Connecticut in the process of creating a Statewide multi-disciplinary child care consultation system. The paper describes the concept of child care consultation; reviews research literature related to the effectiveness of consultation in child care settings; overviews the current policy context related to early childhood consultation, both nationally and in Connecticut; describes several different consultation models and reports lessons learned; presents drafts of job descriptions; and recommends design and implementation considerations to advance a multi-disciplinary consultation system in Connecticut. Models that are examined include the Multi-Disciplinary Team in New Haven; Child FIRST in the greater Bridgeport area; the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership, which operates Statewide in Connecticut; Day Care Plus in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; The Comprehensive Child Care Services Program in Rhode Island; the Abbott Preschool Program in New Jersey; Head Start and Early Head Start; and the U.S. Army Child Development System. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.chdi.org/files/Consultation-Report.pdf.
  • Management Strategies for Positive Mental Health Outcomes: What Early Childhood Administrators Need to Know (April 2004), by Beth Green, Maria C. Everhart, Lynwood Gordon, and Barbara Friesen, published by Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University, presents information about how to structure and manage a child care program’s mental health component, focusing on how to work with mental health professionals or consultants, how to maximize resources, and how to infuse a program with a “mental health perspective” that permeates all aspects of program services. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgProjGuidance.php.
  • Are We Leaving Them Behind? The Case for Helping Childcare Providers and Parents Address Behavioral Problems in Very Young Children (2003), eds. Wendy A. Etheridge, Ray Firth, Robert Nelkin, and Maria Zeglen Townsend, published by the University of Pittsburgh, Office of Child Development, presents an environmental scan conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, Office of Child Development to document the status of behavioral health services available to children from birth to age 5 in early care and education settings in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Data suggest that Allegheny County, like much of the nation, is facing a growing crisis in meeting the social and emotional needs of young children in early care and education programs. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/leavebehindfull.pdf.
  • The Emotional Development of Young Children: Building an Emotion-Centered Curriculum (2003),2nd ed., by Marilou Hyson, published by Teachers College Press, provides information on building an emotion-centered early childhood curriculum, and how to link emotional competence to school readiness, and to a broad range of important child outcomes. This resource provides educators with real-life examples and evidence-based teaching strategies to advance children’s understanding and appropriate expression of their emotions. Examples of recent developments in emotion-related standards, policies and programs, self-assessment questions for practitioners, and other practical tools are provided. Additional information is available from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) at 800-424-2460 or on the Web at http://www.naeyc.org/shoppingcart/Itemdetail.aspx?Stock_No=141.
  • Setting the Pace: Model Inclusive Child Care Centers Serving Families of Children with Emotional or Behavioral Challenges (September 2003), by Eileen M. Brennan, Jennifer R. Bradley, Shane Ama, and Natalie Cawood, for Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University, reports the results of an in-depth study of nine inclusive child care centers that successfully met the needs of families of children with emotional or behavioral challenges. Although the centers were diverse, analysis of more than 90 interviews with parents, center directors, and staff, revealed common approaches to including children with emotional and behavioral challenges. This report is relevant to family members, staff working in child care, schools, and mental health, as well as administrators, educators, policy-makers, researchers, and others interested in improving care for families and children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgProjInclusionMono.php.
  • “Promoting Mental Health in Child Care Settings: Caring for the Whole Child” (March 2003), in ZERO TO THREE Vol. 23, No. 4, by Ray Collins, Janet Mascia, Rosemary Kendall, Oxana Golden, Lisa Schock, and Rebecca Parlakian, published by ZERO TO THREE, describes how child care providers and early childhood mental health providers can work together to comprehensively understand the needs of the young children and their families and to deliver the spectrum of services that are needed. It discusses use of mental health consultants, co-location of services, cross-training of staff, and mobilization of resources. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.zerotothree.org/vol23-4b.pdf.
  • Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs (March 2003), by Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), is based on a detailed and comprehensive analysis of programs that teach core social and emotional competencies. The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program Review provides educators, program developers, scientists, policy-makers, and the general public with a description of the key components of quality SEL programs and a summary of the degree to which available programs incorporate these components. The primary document is available on the Web at http://www.casel.org/downloads/Safe%20and%20Sound/1A_Safe_&_Sound.pdf. Companion documents are available on the Web at http://www.casel.org/home/index.php.
  • The Early Childhood Mental Health Project Child Care Center Consultation in Action (January 2003), by Brian Johns, published by the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, describes the Early Childhood Mental Health Project, which provides mental health consultation in order to help teachers develop an increased awareness and understanding of the impact of their interactions with children. The Early Childhood Mental Health Project has developed evaluative tools to inform consultation practice. The publication also includes the consultant’s job description, a description of project partners, and costs of mental health consultation. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.jfcs.org/Services/Children,_Youth,_and_Families/Parents_Place/
    Early_Childhood_Mental_Health_Consultation/ChildCareCenterConsultationinAction.pdf    .
  • Research to Practice: Depression in the Lives of Early Head Start Families (January 2003), by the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, notes that the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project found a high rate of depression in Early Head Start families. Although Early Head Start did not have a significant impact on reducing depressive symptoms or on increasing the use of mental health services, the program did help parents in their relationships with their children. Positive impacts were found for parent-child interaction and children’s social-emotional development. Furthermore, among those families in which mothers were depressed at enrollment, Early Head Start had even stronger favorable impacts on parent-child interaction. For additional information, contact the Head Start Information and Publication Center on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/.
  • The Benefits of Integrated Mental Health Consultation in Head Start: A Qualitative Inquiry (2003), by Beth L. Green, Jennifer Simpson, Maria C. Everhart, and Elizabeth Vale, published by NPC Research, Portland State University, explored whether having mental health consultants in Head Start who were more available to staff and more integrated into overall program functioning was related to more effective mental health programming. Results suggest that Head Start programs with a more integrative mental health model were more likely to have a strong, unified vision for mental health services, to have a mental health approach consistent with best practices, and to perceive their mental health services to be more effective. It concludes that a clear vision and approach to mental health services that is well understood by all staff is important to effective mental health services. Data tables are presented for type of contact, quality of relationship, and accessibility of mental health consultants. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.npcresearch.com/Files/MHC%20article_final.pdf.
  • Early Head Start Program Strategies: Responding to the Mental Health Needs of Infants, Toddlers and Families (2003), by Early Head Start National Resource Center at ZERO TO THREE; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Bureau, discusses the meaning of infant mental health and what is involved in responding to the mental health needs of very young children and their families. The Head Start Program Performance Standards are explored as they relate to mental health services. A continuum of mental health services is described from promotion to treatment. It notes that the essence of infant mental health is the quality of the relationship between infants and their parents. With professional mental health consultation and community collaboration, Early Head Start programs have the tools to fully respond to the mental health needs of infants, toddlers, and families. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ehsnrc.org/pdffiles/mpsmentalhealth.pdf.
  • A Stitch in Time: What Works with Troubled Preschoolers (2003), by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, suggests that investments in early intervention for children with high levels of aggressive behavior can significantly reduce their disruptive behaviors, taking them off the path to delinquency and crime. This brochure is available on the Web at http://www.fightcrime.org/reports/stitchintime.pdf.
  • “Ready to Enter: What Research Tells Policymakers About Strategies to Promote Social and Emotional School Readiness Among Three- and Four-Year-Old Children” (July 2002), Policy Paper #3, Promoting the Emotional Well-Being of Children and Families, by C. Cybele Raver and Jane Knitzer, for the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), focuses on what emerging research tells policy-makers about why it is so important to intervene to help young children at risk of poor social, emotional, and behavioral development and what kinds of research-based interventions seem most effective. It addresses the relationship between early academic learning and emotional development; the prevalence of emotional problems in preschool-aged young children and young children who are exposed to multiple family and environmental risk factors; the role of teachers and child care providers in reducing or exacerbating problems; and the emerging but still limited research on the efficacy of preventive and early interventions explicitly targeted to address the social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties of young children, particularly in the context of early care and education settings. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/media/pew02c-text.pdf.
  • Promoting Children’s Mental Health in a Child Care Context (July 2002), by the Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health (R&T), is a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that describes the Models of Inclusion in the Child Care Project. The project improves access to inclusive, family centered, culturally appropriate, and high-quality child care for families who have children with emotional or behavior disorders. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/Presentations/P3gt02.pdf.
  • “Child Care That Works for Children with Emotional and/or Behavioral Challenges: Parents Perceptions” (May 2002), by Shane Ama, Sara Berman, Eileen Brennan, and Jennifer Bradley, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland State University, for the Building on Family Strengths National Conference on Research and Services in Support of Children and Their Families, Portland, Oregon, is a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that describes the child care needs of families with children with emotional or behavioral challenges. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/Presentations/BFS02/bfs02rtcproj3.pdf.
  • “Promoting Mental Health Through Child Care and Mental Health Linkages” (Spring 2002), Child Care Bulletin Issue 25, prepared by the National Child Care Information Center, for the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a variety of information about child care–mental health linkages and recommendations from the March 2001 National Leadership Forum on Child Care and Mental Health sponsored by the Child Care Bureau in collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This issue also features innovative national, State, and community programs and services; funding resources; publications; and organizations that highlight effective ways to promote collaboration between the child care and mental health communities to meet the social and emotional needs of young children. This resource is available on the Web at http://dev.nccic.org/ccb/issue25.pdf.
  • Guidance for Early Childhood Program Design: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Young Children and Their Families in Early Childhood Education Settings (March 2002), by the Research & Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health (R&T), describes the project and outlines seven themes that emerged from 75 structured, in-depth interviews. These themes include widespread program challenges and strengths, and preliminary insights into elements of effective service delivery. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/Guidance%20Brochure.pdf.
  • Secure Relationships: Nurturing Infant/Toddler Attachment in Early Care Settings (2002), by Alice Sterling Honig, published by NAEYC, focuses on those aspects of attachment caregivers need to understand to become more adept at the challenging work of nurturing early positive mental health in young children. The book offers suggestions for enhancing caregivers’ skills in nourishing infants’ and toddlers’ relationships in the child care setting. Additional information is available from NAEYC at 800-424-2460 or on the Web at http://www.naeyc.org/shoppingcart/Itemdetail.aspx?Stock_No=123.
  • “Child Mental Health” (2002), Head Start Bulletin No. 73, by the Head Start Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has articles that describe interventions and issues affecting pregnant women, father involvement, and children birth to age 5, as well as some innovative program models. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/pdf/ChildMentalHealth-Final.pdf.
  • “Child Care: Inclusion as Enrichment” (Fall 2001), in Focal Point, by Eileen M. Brennan, Elizabeth Caplan, Shane Ama, and Olivia Warfield, published by the Regional Research Institute for Human Services, Portland State University, discusses child care arrangements that include children with emotional or behavioral challenges with typically developing children.This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/FPinHTML/FocalPointFA01/pgFPfa01Inclusive.shtml.
  • Key Principles in Providing Integrated Behavioral Health Services for Young Children and Their Families; The Starting Early Starting Smart Experience (2001), prepared by Casey Family Programs and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), describes the Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) project, an early intervention program that has been developed in the context of the national, multi-site program and evaluation. The emphasis in SESS is on the integration of behavioral health services into easily accessible, nonthreatening settings where caregivers naturally and regularly take their young children. SESS sites are based in primary pediatric health care and early childhood educational settings. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.health.org/govpubs/bkd423/.
  • Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (May 2000), by Elena Cohen and Roxane Kaufmann, from the National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health, published by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, summarizes the presentations, discussions, and background materials from a roundtable discussion in May 1998 by experts on the subject of mental health consultation in early childhood settings. The monograph describes an early childhood mental health perspective, defines types of mental health consultation, and provides examples of the essential features of consultation, including challenges and strategies in the consulting process. Information about this resource is available on the Web at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/document.html.
  • Mental Health in Head Start: A Partner for Families–Videotape (2000), distributed by the Head Start Information and Publication Center (HSIPC), was developed to facilitate discussion about mental health. Mental Health in Head Start: A Partner for Families User’s Guide (2000) was developed to help viewers effectively use of the videotape. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.headstartinfo.org/cgi-bin/pubcatstore.cfm?CatID=79&do=detail.
  • Mental Health in Head Start: It’s Everybody’s Business–Videotape (2000), distributed by the Head Start Information and Publication Center (HSIPC), provides an overview of the Head Start Mental Health program and discusses the development of positive activities for the mental well-being of staff, parents, and children in the program. Mental Health in Head Start: It’s Everybody’s Business Discussion Guide (2000) was developed to facilitate the effective use of the videotape. The videotape and discussion guide also are available in Spanish. Additional information is available on the Web http://www.headstartinfo.org/cgi-bin/pubcatstore.cfm?CatID=82&do=detail.
  • “Partnerships to Promote Mental Health” (Fall 1999), in The Healthy Child Care America Newsletter, describes successful strategies and partnerships to promote mental wellness in child care programs. It emphasizes identifying problem behaviors for early intervention and encourages providing quality support for child care providers. It highlights case-study examples. This resource is available on the Web at http://dev.nccic.org/hcca/nl/nlfal99.pdf.
  • Using Mental Health Strategies to Move the Early Childhood Agenda and Promote School Readiness (September 2000), by Jane Knitzer, published by the National Center on Children in Poverty (NCCP), highlights emerging strategies to promote the emotional wellness of young children and their families, enhances caregiver skills, and ensures appropriate use of specialized services. It describes mental health initiatives in child care, early learning and home visiting programs; early health care; and Statewide approaches. Information about this resource is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/pub_mhs00.html.
  • “Inclusive Child Care–Quality Child Care for All Children” (1999), Child Care Bulletin Issue 21, published by the National Child Care Information Center, for the Child Care Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, focuses on the topic of children with special needs in child care. This resource is on the Web at http://dev.nccic.org/ccb/issue21.html.
  • Promoting Mental Health: Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community (1998), by James Bowman Associates, published by the Head Start Information and Publication Center, helps Head Start staff promote mental health for all members of the Head Start Community by means of activities that build skills in creating responsive, respectful relationships with co-workers, parents, and children. The guide has five working sections, the first three of which are training modules. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.bmcc.org/Headstart/Trngds/Mentalhe/index.html. 

Publications Related to Mental Health and Young Children

  • Children's Mental Health: An Overview and Key Considerations for Health System Stakeholders (February 2005), by the National Institute for Health Care Management presents an overview of key considerations for health system efforts to promote and improve the mental health of children and youth. Key policy considerations include active involvement of public-private partnerships and multiple child and family service systems to promote overall mental wellness and help avoid or delay the onset of mental disorders; support for primary care providers and systems that serve as a first point of contact; promotion of early, routine, and systematic screening and assessment in multiple settings; and use of available quality measurement and improvement tools. Specific school-based and family interventions have shown success, as have specific forms of psychotherapy. Behavioral medications have also had documented success with some conditions. Evidence and issues for specific mental health treatments for children and youth are appended. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nihcm.org/CMHReport.pdf.
  • Addressing Social-Emotional Development and Infant Mental Health In Early Childhood Systems (January 2005), in the Building State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Series No. 12, by National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy, supports the planning and implementation of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau State Early Childhood Comprehensive Services Initiative. The report presents an overview of infant mental health and the principles that need to be considered when building systems to meet the social and emotional needs of young children. A continuum of service delivery approaches is described that States can consider as they begin to develop and improve the performance of an infant mental health service system. Training and workforce development of infant mental health service providers is addressed along with outcome and evaluation needs. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/PUBLICATIONS/Documents/IMHFinal.pdf.
  • Youngsters’ Mental Health and Psychosocial Problems: What Are the Data? (December 2003), by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Mental Health in Schools, presents a synthesis of the best data on the prevalence and incidence of children’s mental health and psychosocial problems. Data on diagnosable mental disorders suggest that from 12 percent to 22 percent of all youth under age 18 are in need of services for mental, emotional, or behavioral problems. Half have problems with family; and nearly half have problems such as eating disturbances, sleep problems, grief and loss reactions, post-traumatic stress, or warning signs of depression or anxiety. Caretakers brought preschoolers to mental health facilities reporting a variety of concerns: aggression (45 percent), family/parent problems (45 percent), and difficulty coping with developmentally appropriate activities (33 percent). One quarter of the preschoolers were identified as victims of abuse or neglect. This resource is available on the Web at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/prevalence/youthMH.pdf.
  • “Self-Regulation and School Readiness,” (July 2003), an ERIC Digest, by Clancy Blair, focuses on emotional reactivity and its relation to the development of cognitive functions that promote self-regulation in young children. It examines how emotions may influence the development of the cognitive functions that contribute to successful self-regulation and thereby to school readiness. This resource is available on the Web at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/2003/blair03.html.
  • “Young Children’s Emotional Development and School Readiness,” (July 2003), an ERIC Digest, by C. Cybele Raver, presents a brief overview of longitudinal research linking children’s emotional development to school readiness and early school success. It then discusses interventions designed for children entering school. This resource is available on the Web at http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/2003/raver03.html
  • Mental Health and School Success: What We are Learning(Spring 2003), by the Ohio Department of Mental Health, Ohio Department of Education, and Ohio State University Center for Learning Excellence, includes stories and descriptions that capture the continued progress of the local partnerships in Ohio. It includes information on recent developments in early childhood mental health and the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s support of two child and youth focused Coordinating Centers of Excellence (CCOE). This resource is available on the Web at http://www.mh.state.oh.us/offices/children/2003.mh.school.success.w-photos.pdf.
  • Children’s Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois, Final Report (April 2003), by the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Task Force, presents an approach to the continuum of mental health development, support, and treatment that children need from birth to age 18. By building on existing programs and creating new ways of doing business, Illinois can create a comprehensive, coordinated, children’s mental health system of prevention, early intervention, and treatment. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ivpa.org/childrensmhtf/ICMHTF_FinalReport2003_1.pdf .
  • Social and Emotional Aspects of School Readiness: What’s Available in National Data Sources? (April 25, 2003), by Tamara Halle, Sharon Vandivere, Lindsay Pitzer, and Stephanie Cochran, Child Trends, presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) 2003 Biennial Meeting in Tampa, Florida, is a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that describes four national data sources that include indicators of social and emotional development: the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES),and the National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF). Charts of the social and emotional indicators included in the national data sets are presented. The strengths and limitations of these measures as resources for States and localities are outlined. This Microsoft PowerPoint is available on the Web at http://www.childtrends.org/Files/HairSRCDPPT1.pdf.
  • Before the ABCs: Promoting School Readiness in Infants and Toddlers (2003), by Rebecca Parlakian, published by ZERO TO THREE, examines the important role that cognitive and social-emotional skills play in preparing children for school. It is written to help infant-family program leaders understand how they can support the lifetime learning of infants and toddlers in their communities. It highlights seven critical social-emotional skills, which determine school readiness. They are confidence, curiosity, intentionality, self-control, relatedness, capacity to communicate, and cooperativeness. Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.zerotothree.org/bookstore/.
  • “Children’s Mental Health Services in Rhode Island” (October 2002), Issue Brief #15, by Rhode Island Kids Count, describes several efforts in Rhode Island including components designed to enhance the skills of caregivers who nurture and support young children. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/d.asp?PageID=229&PageName2=issuebriefmentalhealth&p=
    &PageName=FINALDRAFTmental+health+issue+brief%2E.pdf    .
  • “Making Dollars Follow Sense: Financing Early Childhood Mental Health Services to Promote Healthy Social and Emotional Development in Young Children” (July 2002), Policy Paper #4, Promoting the Emotional Well-Being of Children and Families, by Kay Johnson, Jane Knitzer, and Roxane Kaufmann, for the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), describes innovative approaches States and communities are using to finance preventive and early intervention services, more traditional treatment services for young children’s mental health, and what else might be done to fully utilize all available resources. Information about this resource is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/pub_pew.html.
  • Mental Health Services for Children: An Overview (June 2002), by Holly Kenny, Leah Oliver, and Julie Poppe, for the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Children’s Policy Initiative, provides an overview for legislators who are interested in learning more about options to address the mental health needs of children. It describes the role of mental health consultants in child care and gives examples of State initiatives in Colorado and Vermont. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/CPI.pdf.
  • Set for Success: Building a Strong Foundation for School Readiness Based on the Social-Emotional Development of Young Children (Summer 2002), published by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, is a post-conference report that compiles seven papers that present the latest scientific findings on the importance of social and emotional school readiness. The report highlights the link between social-emotional development and later cognitive development. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.emkf.org/pdf/eex_brochure.pdf.
  • Bright Futures in Practice: Mental Health (2002), published by the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health at Georgetown University, is a two-volume set that considers the mental health of children in a developmental context, presents information on early recognition and intervention for specific mental health problems and mental disorders, and provides a tool kit with hands-on tools for health professionals and families for use in screening, care management, and health education. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.brightfutures.org/mentalhealth/.
  • “Illinois Infant Mental Health Survey: Findings and Recommendations” (May 2002), in Unmet Needs Project: A Research, Coalition Building, and Policy Initiative on the Unmet Needs of Infants, Toddlers, and Families Final Report, published by the Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago and the Irving B. Harris Infant Studies Program, Erikson Institute, reports on a survey of over 600 early childhood programs regarding the needs and services for infants, toddlers, and their families with social/emotional, mental health, or behavioral concerns. The surveyed programs included prevention programs, child care programs, public health programs, early intervention programs, and Child and Family Connections (CFC). The survey found that 16 percent of children from birth to age 3 have social/emotional concerns. Over one-third of the children identified have serious difficulties that require additional intervention services. Early intervention programs reported 24 percent of enrolled children have social/emotional concerns. Forty-two percent of child care programs reported they have had to ask a family to withdraw an infant/toddler because the program was unable handle the child’s social/emotional problems. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.state.il.us/agency/icdd/includes/Unmet%20Needs%20Final%20Report.pdf.
  • Building Services and Systems to Support the Healthy Emotional Development of Young Children: An Action Guide for Policymakers (2001), by Jane Knitzer, for the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), sets forth a framework for community and State action to help families and caregivers address the widespread emotional challenges that young children are facing across the country. It describes the scope of the problem; highlights emerging strategies, challenges, and opportunities; and provides concrete tips from early leaders for those seeking to move this agenda, as well as more general recommendations. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/media/pew02a-text.pdf.
  • Funding Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Supports (March 2001), prepared by Georgetown University Child Development Center, describes a matrix developed to assist States and communities in the design of comprehensive financing systems for early childhood mental health services and supports. The vertical axis of the matrix lists a range of early childhood mental health services and supports. The list of potential financing resources, displayed horizontally across the top of the matrix, includes the major Federal, State, and local government and non-government sources of funding available to States and communities. This resource is available on the Web at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/files/products_publications/fundingpub1.html. “Appendix A: Matrix of Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Supports” is available on the Web at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/files/products_publications/fundingpub2.pdf. Additional tables and appendices are available on the Web at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/files/products_publications/fundingpub3.pdf.
  • Report of the Surgeon General’s Conference on Children’s Mental Health: A National Action Agenda (January 2001), prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, documents a conference on Children’s Mental Health held on September 18–19, 2000. The National Action Agenda identifies eight goals and multiple action steps. These include promoting public awareness of children’s mental health issues, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, and improving the assessment and recognition of mental health needs in children. This report is available on the Web at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/cmh/childreport.htm.
  • Understanding Young Children’s Mental Health: A Framework for Assessment and Support of Social-Emotional-Behavioral Health (January 2001), prepared by the Nebraska Early Childhood Mental Health Work Group, identifies resources that address assessment of mental health, including the social, emotional, and behavioral development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.esu3.org/ectc/partnerships/ecmh/assessframe.pdf.Additional information is available on the Web at http://www.esu3.org/ectc/partnerships/ecmh.htm.
  • Systems of Care: Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health, 2001 Series, Volume III—Promising Practices in Early Childhood Mental Health (2001), by Jennifer S. Simpson, Pauline Jivanjee, Nancy Koroloff, Andrea Doerfler, and María García, published by the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice, American Institutes for Research, shows us that systems of care serving very young children and their families are finding innovative and effective ways to design and deliver services. The authors consistently found that an approach to services that takes into account the whole child, including his or her family and community, his or her unique developmental needs and strengths, and his or her well-being in a variety of contexts is especially important and most effective. They also found that a family centered approach to care with a high level of parent participation in decision-making seems to increase the overall level of parent engagement. This resource is available on the Web at http://cecp.air.org/Portland_Monograph.pdf.
  • Systems of Care: Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health, 2001 Series, Volume II—Learning From Families: Identifying Service Strategies for Success (2001), by Janice E. Worthington, Mario Hernandez, Bob Friedman, and Douglas Uzzell, published by the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice, American Institutes for Research, examines the success stories of families with children who suffer from emotional and behavioral disorders. Family success, defined from the perspectives of the families and providers, occurs when systems of care focus on the entire family, meet families “where they are,” and emphasize the connection between family and community. The monograph emphasizes the crucial importance of strong bonds between families and providers. This resource is available on the Web at http://cecp.air.org/Florida_Monograph.pdf.
  • Systems of Care: Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health, 2001 Series, Volume I—Wraparound: Stories From the Field (2001), by Kimberly Kendziora, Eric Bruns, David Osher, Debra Pacchiano, and Brenda Mejía, published by the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice, American Institutes for Research, explores the concept that wrap-around is better, cheaper, and more humane than conventional service delivery processes for families with children with serious emotional disturbance. Through the stories of six families who have received individualized services and supports through a wrap-around process, this publication explores how this process worked to support their strengths and meet their needs. This resource is available on the Web athttp://cecp.air.org/AIR_Monograph.pdf.
  • Florida’s Strategic Plan for Mental Health: Establishing a System of Mental Health Services for Young Children and Their Families (September 2000), by Florida State University Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy for the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, describes a plan for building a system of mental health services for young children and their families in Florida, adds to the research base by piloting infant mental health projects, increases public awareness, advocates for appropriate State policies and programs, builds workforce capacity, and explores potential funding sources for training and services. This resource is available on the Web at http://www.cpeip.fsu.edu/resourceFiles/resourceFile_15.pdf.
  • "Early Childhood Mental Health Services: A Policy and Systems Development Perspective" (2000), in Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention (2000), 2nd ed., by Jane Knitzer, eds. Jack Shonkoff and Samuel Meisels, published by Cambridge University Press, includes information about coordinating mental health services with early childhood programs. Additional information is available from Cambridge University Press on the Web at http://titles.cambridge.org/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521585732.
  • Promoting Resilience: Helping Young Children and Parents Affected by Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Depression in the Context of Welfare Reform (February 1999), by Jane Knitzer, published by the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), addresses the issue of mental health in child care. It is available on the Web at http://www.nccp.org/media/cwr00h-text.pdf.
  • The Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health (1999), prepared by Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a review of scientific advances in the study of mental health and of mental illnesses. Chapter 3 discusses children and mental health. The report is available on the Web at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/home.html.

Related Resource

  • The Brain Development document under the Child Development Topic in the Popular Topics section of NCCIC's Web site at a http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/brain.html and in PDF at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/brain.pdf includes a sample of national and State organizations with an interest in sharing information on brain development and brain development research in order to promote healthy growth among young children; additional publications that describe the research about brain development and the implications for parenting and programming; and publications that describe how information about brain development can be used to create policies about early care and education.

Updated April 2006