Build the consultant workforce
This shelf helps anyone who staffs consultation in a single program or a state system. It holds role definitions, hiring guidance, MOUs, and the workforce landscape.
What's in this collection
This section explores the competencies, training, supervision, mentoring, and quality assurance systems needed to build a strong IECMHC workforce and deliver high-quality IECMHC services.
Workforce development planning
Program Planning and Reflection Tool (PPRT): This program-level online assessment tool helps users evaluate progress in key IECMHC program implementation areas while providing guidance on how to put these elements into place. An entire domain is devoted to workforce and covers: recruiting & hiring, initial training, ongoing professional development, clinical/reflective supervision, service delivery support, and workforce retention.
Recruiting and hiring IECMH consultants
Hiring Guidance: This e-learning module is designed to support IECMHC program managers in the hiring process of IECMH consultants.
Training curriculum guidance
Curriculum Guidelines for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Building on the CoE’s IECMHC Competencies, this resource helps programs create comprehensive training standards and content to develop a strong IECMH consultant workforce.
Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment Checklists: These tools are designed to assist managers and administrators in assessing the extent to which they demonstrate integration of cultural and linguistic competence into values, attitudes, communication styles, and the physical environment.
Professional development resources
Foundational Modules: These eight modules are designed to support Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants in their professional development, and can be viewed in any order.
Beyond the 101: IECMHC Lessons: This trio of online learning modules explores best practice in IECMHC with regard to equity, supporting infants and toddlers, and working with families in a meaningful and effective way.
Materials for field use
Teaching Tools for Young Children with Challenging Behavior: This resource is designed for use by teachers and offers easily accessible ideas and materials to support children in the classroom and other learning environments.
Consultant supervision, support, and retention
Sustaining IECMH Consultants in their Jobs: Once a mental health professional has been successfully recruited and trained to provide IECMHC services, a management team’s priority becomes retaining that now well-trained consultant.
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CourseIECMHC Foundational ModulesThese modules are designed to be flexible and can be viewed in any order. We hope after viewing these modules you are able to understand what it means to be an IECMH Consultant and some of the skills, attitudes and knowledge needed to be successful. Self-assessmentSelf-Reflective Learning: Map Your Learning Pathway (IECMHC competency self-assessment)The Consultant Assessment was created to help you figure out where to focus your learning journey. By using this assessment to gauge your knowledge of and skills in the IECMH Consultant Competencies, you will be able to better develop a training plan that fits your needs. Most usedGuideCrosswalkThe crosswalk covers 8 competency domains. For each competency, it shows how critical it is for a consultant and how closely it lines up with the Alliance Endorsement credential. The Center of Excellence, the Alliance, the Association for Infant Mental Health in Hawaii, and ZERO TO THREE published it in 2023. CourseCenter of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation CompetenciesThis document sets out the MHC's role, the knowledge the role needs, and the tasks that define IECMHC. It aims to build national consensus on the practice and how it differs from related early childhood services. ToolkitTaking Care of Ourselves: Stress and RelaxationUse these booklets and worksheets with Head Start staff and families to teach ways to reduce stress. The workshop slides are on the toolkit page. GuideTraining and Support GuideThis e-learning module is designed to support IECMHC program managers in the onboarding training and support of IECMH consultants in their first year. CourseTutorial 3: The Effective Mental Health ConsultantThis tutorial gives data-driven guidance on the skills, training, knowledge, and service practices of an effective mental health consultant. HandoutReproducible Handout Materials GuideHiring GuidanceThis e-learning module is designed to support IECMHC program managers in the hiring process of IECMH consultants. Brief10 Elements Comprise the Essential Core of an Effective Consultative StanceThe quality of the ECMH consultant-consultee relationship is proving to be a predictor of positive service outcomes. The Consultative Stance outlines the elements essential to establishing effective interaction. This document describes each element. It is excerpted from Johnston, K, and Brinamen, C. (2006). Mental Health Consultation in Child Care: Transforming Relationships Among Directors, Staff, and Families. HandoutPosters to Combat StressThis series of 12 colorful posters teaches effective strategies to reduce stress in Head Start families and staff. Print these out and post them in different areas of your home or program. For programs, try break rooms, kitchens, or even the back of bathroom stall doors. That's the only place busy teachers get a moment to breathe. These posters are designed to be printed out in color on 8 x 14 inch paper.Posters to Combat Stress (Spanish) CourseTutorial 9: Implementing and Evaluating ECMHC ServicesThis tutorial gives Head Start and Early Head Start administrators ideas and tools to plan and sustain effective mental health consultation. Administrators learn to write strong job descriptions and contracts for consultants. They also learn to build a mental health team or committee to guide and sustain the consultant’s work. The last module covers quality assurance and quality improvement feedback loops for consultation services.