Fund it and sustain it
Here's our financing guidance and sustainability playbook. It covers braided funding, champions and partnerships, messaging, policy integration, and adapting when the political weather changes.
What's in this collection
Financing and sustaining infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) services is a critical, yet daunting task. In addition, this section provides access to information on funding streams and proven strategies as well as other pathways to sustainability.
IECMHC and the early childhood system
Overview of the IECMHC Approach within the Early Childhood System: This resource provides an overview of how IECMHC fits within a larger early childhood system. It offers information on the different components of an integrated IECMHC approach and identifies important strategic partners.
Financing IECMHC efforts
Financing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Frequently Asked Questions: This brief answers some frequently asked questions about funding for infant and early childhood mental health consultation, which can be a complex and thorny issue.
Financing Guidance for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: This brief provides a deeper look into funding streams that states, tribes, and communities might access to support IECMHC services.
Sustainability
IECMHC Sustainability Modules: These modules examine six pillars of sustainability for IECMHC programs. Each module provides context, proven strategies, success stories, and potential obstacles to consider when developing a sustainability plan.
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ReportEarly Childhood Consultation Partnership: Results across Three Statewide Random-Controlled EvaluationsExecutive Summary ReportExploring Culture, Race, and Ethnicity in Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: The Role of the Consultative AlliancePeer-reviewed article GuideFinancing Guidance for IECMHC BriefFinancing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Frequently Asked QuestionsThis brief answers some frequently asked questions about funding for infant and early childhood mental health consultation, which can be a complex and thorny issue. The questions address important topics like state financing, Medicaid support, how to request funding for IECMHC. Webinars and eventsFrom Conception to Birth: TN’s IECMHC Development"When you have the right people at the right time doing the right thing, magic happens.” The story of Tennessee’s IECMHC work is one of relationships. Though our state’s IECMHC work is still in its infancy, TN’s Infant Mental Health community has long been laying the foundation for what we are doing today. This workshop is for those involved in building systems and programs, those preparing to implement or in initial stages of program implementation, and IECMH or Early Childhood service providers. This workshop will detail: The history of TN’s Infant Mental Health work and explore the relationships, opportunities, and cross-sector partnerships that paved the way for IECMHC The role of the ZTT IECMH Financing Policy initiative in our IECMH work, state collaborative councils, and current partnerships at work in IECMH Consultation Coordinating Council The funding streams used Current IECMHC initiatives at the state and local level Program scale up and expansion as well as workforce recruitment and preparation How equity may be embedded in IECMHC, with an in-depth focus on family engagement, exclusionary discipline practices, and mitigating disproportionality What is on the horizon for IECMHC in Tennessee and lessons learned along the way BriefFunding Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation as a Medicaid Prevention Direct Service: Michigan’s ApproachState leaders can use this information to explore a process and lessons learned for supporting IECMHC as a Medicaid Prevention Direct Service. BriefFunding Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Lessons Learned from Arkansas’s Project PLAYThis brief describes how Arkansas funds Project PLAY through Child Care and Development Block Grant quality funds, and shares five lessons on financing IECMHC, from starting with a pilot to aligning with funders' priorities. Webinars and eventsHead Start Mental Health Consultation modelTrauma exposure is common among populations served by Head Start. However, little is known about how to use the current Head Start Mental Health Consultation model to promote identification and response to early childhood trauma. This storytelling presentation will illustrate strategies employed to adapt the existing Mental Health Consultation model to support Head Start children with exposure to trauma. Our project qualitatively examined Head Start Mental Health consultant notes for 165 children who had known trauma exposure, suspected trauma exposure, any social services involvement, and/or were identified by teachers as engaging in aggressive behaviors. A content analysis was conducted to identify strategies for adapting the existing Head Start mental health consultation model to engage trauma-exposed families and address signs of potential trauma exposure (e.g., sexual behaviors, aggression). Findings included the following strategies: (1) preparing teachers and other school personnel for difficult discussions with parents about mental health, (2) psychoeducation about boundaries and appropriate touch, (3) teaching emotion regulation skills, and (4) trauma screening, brief intervention/psychoeducation, and referral to treatment. Our presentation highlights one story illustrating the adaptations made by consultants to meet the needs of a Head Start family experiencing recent intimate partner violence. It is our intent that this presentation be used to inform clinical adaptations to existing services provided by Head Start Mental Health Consultants and other early child Mental Health Consultation settings to improve early intervention services for trauma-exposed youth. GuideHead Start Performance Standards w/ Mental Health Focus Webinars and eventsIECMH Across Ohio SystemsInfant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is a foundational service that supports multiple services, often across multiple systems. Join Dr. Angie Gibbs, Hopewell Health Centers, and Misty Cole, from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in a discussion regarding the Ohio expansion of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation across Ohio Systems, including Early Intervention, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and the Oho Department of Education. Webinars and eventsIECMHC 101With the current growth in the practice of this kind of IECMH Consultation, it is important to keep fidelity. This session will provide introductory key points and resources about what is needed to provide effective IECMH Consultation services. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is a growing field with mounting evidence that this practice supports meeting caregivers 'where they are,' in settings and in their work places. Consultants meet caregivers 'where they are,' so that the caregivers can better support young children's (and their families') emotional and social development. IECMHC primarily started out in Early Childhood Education (ECE) classrooms, and is now slowing making its way into other service settings that have a touch in young children's lives (prenatal to 5 yrs. old), like pediatric clinics, home visiting programs, child welfare services, home-based child care, and many other settings. GuideIECMHC Funding Tip Sheet: Engaging FoundationsThis tip sheet was designed to assist IECMHC programs plan for applying for financial support from foundations. Information is provided on the process of applying for a foundation grant, what foundations typically are interested in, and how a program can be prepared to respond quickly to these funding opportunities.