The following day, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) announced plans for additional programs aimed at supporting Wisconsin’s early care and education (ECE) industry and the families it serves. The programs, which are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will run until 2024 and focus on increasing access to high-quality, affordable child care and supporting the ECE workforce.

WI-AIMH is thrilled that Wisconsin will finally have the ability to establish infant/early childhood mental health consultation system. We are deeply grateful to so many individual/agencies that worked for years to make this happen. Our gratitude goes to every member of the Infant/Toddler Policy group – a workgroup supported by the Office of Children’s Mental Health and members of Raising Wisconsin – thank you for your tireless work and advocacy on behalf of babies and toddlers. We want to particularly acknowledge Kia Kjensrud (Executive Director of the Wisconsin’s Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics) and Kim Eithun (Special Initiatives Coordinator at the Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System) for their incredible dedication, expertise, passion, and commitment to babies, young children and their families. Thank you!

There is a strong body of research that demonstrates the lifelong, devastating effects of early childhood education (ECE) suspension and expulsion on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as its inequitable impact on Black, Indigenous, and other people/children of color (BIPOC). Throughout the past five years, many advocates have shared research, highlighted best practices, and issued policy statements and recommendations in efforts to guide ECE leaders and policymakers in stopping this epidemic of ECE suspensions and expulsions. We encourage you to review these resources in depth (www.allianceaimh.org/preschool-expulsion[1]).

Further, it is imperative to point out this universal conclusion: An ECE workforce trained in infant and early childhood mental health is essential to ending ECE suspensions and expulsions. Systems are advised to bring their state’s association for infant mental health (AIMH) and representatives from the ECE workforce to the table to ensure infant and early childhood mental health-informed strategies and solutions.

Children’s mental health received needed attention on Capitol Hill in February. The Senate Finance Committee held two hearings focused on pediatric mental health in the past few weeks. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, as well as leading academics and advocates in the field, covered a range of mental health issues facing children of all ages. As a part of these hearings, witnesses and Senators named the need for infant and early childhood mental health services, which will likely be made a staple of the policies the committee ultimately puts forward. 

Thinking about Endorsement? It's never too late! Check out our resource-filled webpages and contact Ashley Bowers, Clinical Coordinator, if you have questions.

The application for Cohort 15 of program-wide implementation sites is now open and the deadline has been extended to March 18th! The application and additional resources can be found on the Implementation page of our website. 

We know that your time is precious and your responsibilities unpredictable. We’ve extended the timeline by 1 week. Please connect with your Wisconsin Pyramid Model Regional Lead with any questions. 

Julie Betchkal and Lana Nenide were invited to share Wisconsin’s story of building Pyramid Model policy and guidance as part of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations For State Leaders, By State Leaders webinar series. 

Contact your Regional Lead for Details

Marva L. Lewis, PhD, IMH-E®, School of Social Work, Tulane University and Deborah J. Weatherston, PhD, IMH-E®, Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health are pleased to announce the publication of their co-edited book, Therapeutic Cultural Routines to Build Family relationships: Talk, Touch & Listen While Combing Hair® (SpringerNature, 2021). Contributors from a wide range of disciplines explore the simple routine of combing hair as an emotionally powerful tool for social workers and other professionals in the infant and early childhood field to use when observing and interacting with Black and Indigenous families of color. Case stories deepen the understanding of painful childhood messages of colorism regarding racial features, specifically hair type and skin tone. Self-reflective questions invite personal and professional exploration through the anti-racist lens of culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn More

Feel free to use and share the ideas from the toolkit and supplement, and visit the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board website in April for the Five for Families social media posts:

Prevention Board Toolkit: Microsoft Word - PM Toolkit Draft Dec2020.docx (wi.gov)

Five for Families toolkit and content calendar: Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board Five for Families for Family Strengthening Month (wi.gov)

Applications are being accepted for the 2022-2023 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program!

Participation is by application and enrollment is limited. Apply by March 21, 2022 for early consideration for admission and scholarships. Applications will continue to be accepted as space allows. Information about the Capstone Certificate Program and application guidance, including the application form, is available at this site: http://infantfamilymentalhealth.psychiatry.wisc.edu/.

For questions about whether this Capstone Certificate Program is right for you or about the application process, please contact: Sarah Strong, LCSW, IMH-E^® Capstone Certificate Program Co-Director sstrong@wisc.edu

Department of Psychiatry, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is a capacity-building intervention that supports the mental health and social-emotional well-being of children, families, and the providers who work with them. Family Connections is an evidence-based, system-wide model for mental health consultation and professional development.

DATES:

WHERE: Virtually on Zoom