Activity: An Inventory of Mental Health Consultation Activities in Our Program
An Inventory of Mental Health Consultant Activities
Use the examples of mental health consultant activities to start your inventory of consultant activities in your Head Start or Early Head Start program. Add those not already listed.
Promotion Activities (All Children)
Child- or Family-Centered Consultation
- Provide families with information on children’s social and emotional development
- Provide tips to families on how to create a home environment that supports healthy social and emotional development
Programmatic Consultation
- Assess strengths and challenges within the early childhood setting/environment
- Support early childhood staff in creating a more pro-social learning environment
- Engage early childhood staff and programs in promoting and encouraging staff wellness
Prevention Activities (Children At-Risk for Behavioral Problems)
Child- or Family-Centered Consultation
- Conduct home visits with families and children with identified risks
- Offer families training on effective strategies for addressing challenging behaviors
- Design and help implement targeted supports to meet the needs of a child(ren) at risk
- Model effective strategies and coach early childhood staff in using them to support a child(ren) at risk
Programmatic Consultation
- Offer ideas and resources for teaching young children social skills and appropriate behavior
- Guide selection and use of social and emotional screening tools
- Support early childhood staff with classroom management strategies
Intervention (Children Exhibiting Challenging or Troubling Behaviors)
Child- or Family-Centered Consultation
- Provide individualized support services for early childhood staff regarding a specific child’s troubling behavior
- Engage families in developing individualized behavior support plans
- Link child/family to community mental health services and assist with care coordination
Programmatic Consultation
- Train early childhood staff in creating and implementing individualized behavior support plans
- Help early childhood program foster relationships with community services and providers
- Work with early childhood program to develop inclusive policies for working with children with challenging behaviors
(Duran et al., 2009)