Infant-Family and Early Childhood Developmental and Mental Health Intervention
The mission of our infant/family and early childhood intervention program is to support families in building resilience in infants and young children with special needs due to biological and/or psychosocial circumstance. This is accomplished through service delivery, workforce development, research, and policy. Recent infant brain research has validated the impact of the early caregiving environment on parent/child relationships, the regulation of behavior and the trajectory of development. Our program outreaches to families with infants and young children who have developmental delays and disabilities, chronic illness, perinatal drug exposure, or experience out of home placement, domestic violence or the stresses of poverty. We collaborate with community health, mental health, public health, Head Start, early education and care, early intervention, and foster care to build an infant-family and early childhood system of care in Los Angeles County.
Programs, Collaborations and Initiatives
Service Delivery
- Stein Tikun Olam Infant-Family Mental Health Initiative
- Early Childhood Mental Health Programs
- Early Head Start/Head Start Mental Health consultation with parents and staff
Training/Workforce Development
- American Psychological Association-accredited psychology internship Early Childhood emphasis
- American Psychological Association-accredited two year psychology postdoctoral fellowship leading to California endorsement as Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist
- Birth to Five Mental Health Core Training Initiative for Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinicians
- Early Head Start/ Head Start: Staff training on Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health
- Interdisciplinary training in early assessment and identification of autism and other developmental disabilities
Technical Assistance
- First Connections: Developmental Screening and Linkage in Underserved Communities, Technical Assistance grant in partnership with First 5 LA
- Early Head Start/Head Start: Classroom observation, consultation & technical assistance
Research
- TACERN: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Autism Center of Excellence Research Network, multi-site study of early biomarkers for autism in infants with tuberous sclerosis
- Adaptations of Child-Parent Psychotherapy for young children with developmental disabilities and/or medical traumatic stress
- Early language development of bilingual children
Policy
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health: Prenatal to Five Steering Committee
- Zero-to-Three: Prenatal to Five Workforce Development Committee
- First 5 LA: First Connections Los Angeles County Advisory Committee
- First Five: National Research Advisory Committee
- Los Angeles County Perinatal Mental Health Task Force: Executive Committee
- California Department of Developmental Services: State Systemic Improvement Plan Task Force
- California Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Intervention: Executive Committee
- California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health: Steering Committee
