Foundational Knowledge

Welcome to Module 2, which presents the second Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Competency, Foundational Knowledge. This module will start with an introduction from Alison Steier, PhD.

Alison Steier, PhD is a clinical psychologist and vice president of Mental Health Services at the early childhood nonprofit, Southwest Human Development, in Phoenix, Arizona. She is director of Southwest’s Harris Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Training Institute, the statewide toll-free Birth to Five Helpline and its “Fussy Baby” home visiting service as well as Arizona’s system of early childhood mental health consultation, known as Smart Support. Her work currently focuses on early childhood mental health program development and professional development. She is the founder and co-chair of The RAINE Group, a think tank comprised of national experts which works to advance practice, policy and research in the specialty of early childhood mental health consultation. She is a frequent presenter on topics related to infant mental health, both nationally and internationally, and has published in the areas of early childhood mental health consultation and young children’s attachments to special inanimate objects (“transitional objects”).

Introduction to Module 2 Transcript (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Begin Module 2

Module 2 Foundational Knowledge Transcript (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Resources

• COE Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant Competencies https://www.iecmhc.org/files/IECMHC-competencies.pdf
• Mastering the Consultative Stance https://www.iecmhc.org/learning/consultative-stance
• Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in Infants, Young Children, and their Families https://www.iecmhc.org/learning/trauma
• Recognizing and Supporting the Social and Emotional Health of Young Children Birth to Age Five https://www.iecmhc.org/learning/social-emotional

Resources

• Felitti, VJ, Anda, RF, Nordenberg, D, Williamson, DF, Spitz, AM, Edwards, V, Koss, MO, Marks, JS (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. Am J Prev Med, May, 14(4): 245-58.
• Johnston, K. & Brinamen, C. (2006). Mental health consultation in child care: Transforming relationships among directors, staff, and families. Washington, D.C.: Zero To THREE.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Schools Committee. (2017). Creating, supporting, and sustaining trauma-informed schools: A system framework. Los Angeles, CA, and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.
• Pawl, JH & St. John, M. (1998). How you are is as important as what you do…in making a a positive difference for infants, toddlers and their families. Washington, D.C.: ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families.
• Searles, HF (1955). The informational value of the supervisor’s emotional experiences. Psychiatry: Journal for the Study of Interpersonal Processes, 18, 135–146.