Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program (IECMHC)

IECMHC is a prevention-based approach that focuses on providing specialized support to the adults that care for young children in settings such as preschools, childcare, HeadStart programs, and their homes. Mental health consultation provides caregivers with skills and knowledge to effectively facilitate children’s healthy social and emotional development. IECMHC is nationally recognized by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) as a best practice.

IECMHC Consultants are highly trained professionals with a clinical background and specialized knowledge in child development, the effects of stress and trauma on families, the importance of attachment for young children, and the impacts of adult mental health on developing children. Consultants do not provide direct mental health treatment to children or their caregivers, but instead provide a prevention-based approach by developing relationships with their caregivers to build the capacity to support children’s health social and emotional development. The goal of consultation is preventing the need for formal mental health treatment or identifying the need for treatment early and improving outcomes.

Program-Level Consultation

Consultants work with early childcare and education staff in HeadStart, Early HeadStart, childcare centers and home childcare settings. Consultants provide staff training and development regarding general early childhood social, emotional, and behavioral issues, as well as support for managing early behavioral challenges in preschool children. Program-Level Consultation also provides teacher assessments and coaching, using evidence-based models to build early care and education staff’s capacity to improve classroom practices.

Child and Family Consultation

Child and Family Consultation is a service that screens children and consults with parents, early childhood care and education staff, and other providers about plans to support individual children. Consultants make referrals to appropriate services and provide warm hand-offs to providers in the community.

Workplace Wellness Consultation

The primary objective of infant and early childhood mental health consultation is to increase the capacity of caregivers to support the social emotional development of young children. With that goal in mind, Morrison’s Infant & Early Childhood Consultation Program supports the early care and education and home visiting workforce through professional development activities including a specific focus on Workplace Wellness and Reflective Supervision/Consultation. These professional development activities enhance well-being and service quality through increased reflective practice and skill development.