Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health

In this section you will find information and resources for parents and caregivers to help them understand the important issues involved in the mental health of children ages birth to 5. We also give information specific to infants, toddlers and preschoolers including: ways to develop caring relationships, reaching important milestones in your child’s social and emotional development, information about maternal depression, understanding how stress affects infants and young children, how to get the best help for your infant or young child, and infant/early childhood services and supports available locally and nationally. This section provides an extensive resource library filled with publications, facts and figures, links and frequently asked questions specific to infant/early childhood mental health issues.

Margaret Holmberg, Past President of the Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health, wrote and edited much of this Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health section.

To learn more about the Child Health and Development Institute’s work on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health click here.

Introduction to infant/early childhood mental health

Infant and early childhood mental health refers to the quality of a child’s first and early relationships and the child’s social and emotional development. When we talk about infant/early childhood mental health we mean a child’s ability to:

• experience warm and responsive relationships with caregivers;
• create relationships with others;
• explore and learn;
• communicate in play; and
• express and control emotions.

We know through scientific research that a child’s early experiences—whether good or bad —affect the development of children’s brains and their health (Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University). The first three years of a baby’s life is a time of big growth and development. A newborn’s brain is about 25 percent of its adult weight. By age 3, your child’s brain has mostly grown and is making connections and learning about the world (Zero to Three). Your baby and toddler need caring, sensitive, adult-child contact to help him/her develop trust, understanding, compassion, kindness, and a conscience. We now know that babies’ brains do not develop fully when this warm caregiving is missing. Healthy and caring parent/caregiver relationships help children get ready to enter school so they can be happy, well-behaved and willing to learn. Research has shown that as a child grows, kind relationships with parents/caregivers shape his or her self-image and give the child the skills needed to face new challenges.

Developing warm and caring relationships

Early relationships are so important for a young child to have good mental health. Parents and caregivers play a large part in their children’s mental health. When parents are open and caring to their babies and toddlers’ needs they create a secure and trusting relationship that later relationships will be built upon. Infants thrive on human stimuli –parents’ faces, voices, touch, and even smell. They are born with the need to be with people and not just for food. Their first “toy” is Mommy or Daddy’s face. They love to look at eyes and mouths. Babies would rather listen to speech or singing than any other kind of sound.

As babies get older and do more on their own, they still need physical care, but they also need their parents/caregivers for their emotional care. Close and caring relationships help infants, toddlers and preschoolers with a healthy- start in their mental health. There are many things that a parent/caregiver can do with their child to help their child’s learning every day.

Great ways to interact with your young child

• Learn to read your baby’s cues and what soothing techniques work.
• Talk often with your child from the day they are born.
• Hug them, hold them, and respond to their needs and interests.
• Listen carefully as your children communicate with you.
• Read aloud to your children every day, even when they are babies. Play and sing with them often.
• Say “yes” and “I love you” as much as you say “no” and “don’t.”
• Ensure a safe, orderly, and predictable environment, wherever they are.
• Set limits on their behavior when necessary and guide them calmly, not harshly.

Adapted from the Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force, U.S. Departments of Education and Health & Human Services

To learn more about good parenting skills that help your child’s healthy learning and development, please see the following publications:

Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) handbooks:
Caring for Connecticut‘s Children, Volume 1: Promoting Health and Safety
Caring for Connecticut‘s Children, Volume 2: Promoting Healthy Child Development

Zero to Three: Everyday Ways to Support your Baby and Toddler‘s Early Learning.

Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Social Emotional Tips for Providers Caring for Infants.

Feeding and eating

Creating a supportive feeding relationship that is right for each child’s developmental stage, nutritional needs, and neuromuscular growth is the key to the healthy development of your child’s mental health (Zero to Three). For newborns and infants, parents/caregivers should follow the signals of their baby to know when to feed them, and to feed the baby quickly when the baby is hungry, before the baby becomes upset from heavy crying. It also helps if the parent/caregiver allows the baby to control how much he/she wants to eat or stop feeding when the baby does not want to eat or shows that they are full or turns away, refusing to open the mouth, or arching the back.

When a child is developmentally ready (around 4-6 months), the baby’s doctor or pediatrician will suggest that parents/caregivers begin to gradually offer solid foods, one at a time. For toddlers, parents/caregivers can give regular, healthy meals and snacks as well as introduce new foods in a kind way. Many toddlers will accept new foods if they are given to them over and over, without pressure or reward from the parent/caregiver to eat the new food. Toddlers need more structure and discipline during mealtimes so they learn appropriate social behaviors. It is important not to get into fights with your toddler over eating. Eating is one of the few ways that toddlers have control over what is happening to them. Let your toddler know that you respect what and how much they eat. Generally, when toddlers have healthy choices, they will choose what they need. To learn more about helping a child with good eating habits, visit Zero to Three’s page on nutrition.

Where to start

Reaching milestones

From birth to age 5 your child is not only growing in size, but also your child is learning, playing, moving, speaking and interacting with others. As a parent/caregiver you take your child to the doctor (pediatrician) to make sure your child is growing and gaining weight. Parents and caregivers also need to track their child’s milestones in how he/she learns plays, speaks, and acts. These milestones can help a parent or caregiver find any problems or concerns in their child’s development at an early age. Many groups publish a list of milestones for you to use such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Developmental Milestones charts and the Zero to Three Organization’s Age-based handouts.

As a parent/caregiver, you know your child best. If your child is not meeting the milestones for his or her age, or if you think there could be a problem with their development, tell your child’s doctor as soon as you can. You do not need to worry alone. If you live in Connecticut, you can call Connecticut ‘s 2-1-1 Child Development Infoline online or at 800-505-7000 (or just dial 211). Care Coordinators at the Infoline can help parents/caregivers with questions about their child’s development, behavior management ideas and programs, make referrals to services, and provide advocacy and follow-up as needed. In Connecticut, there is also a resource called The Ages & Stages Child Monitoring Program which helps parents and caregivers learn about their child’s development and identify potential delays as early as possible.

Infant/Early childhood temperament and mental health

As your child grows it is important to learn about your child’s temperament or your child’s unique way of experiencing and looking at the world. Children are all different, and their temperaments will control how they behave and react to different situations. What is important for good mental health is the “goodness of fit” between caregiver and child. Some issues that parents and caregivers may have with their child include: inconsolable crying, extreme shyness, feeding issues, aggressive behavior, defiant behavior, and sleep challenges. Parents will want to make the way they react match their children’s temperament, such as being patient and kind for the shy child, or acting calm and quietly firm to redirect the active child.

As a parent or caregiver, you can learn ways to deal with your child’s needs and challenges. There are excellent resources available in the Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Supports section as well as in our Resource Library to help you develop strategies to manage and understand your child’s behavior. It is also good idea to talk to your child’s pediatrician about your child’s needs. The Zero to Three website has a section on Challenging Behavior Tips and Tools and the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation has an excellent tool called The Infant Toddler Temperament Tool, which allows parents and caregivers to learn about their child’s temperament and gives tips adults can use to work with their child’s unique temperament.

High-risk children and mental health

In most cases, very young children’s lives are filled with happiness, love, learning, and fun. However, for some, that is not the case. Rates of child maltreatment are highest for the youngest children, with children most at risk in the early weeks and months of life (Zero to Three). Stress on young children is known to badly affect brain development, and impacts learning, behavior, as well as physical and mental health. Children who are at risk for high stress (and thus may develop future learning/behavior problems) include children who are victims of traumatic events that go unresolved, children who are abused or neglected, live in foster care, exposed to domestic violence, are homeless or have been exposed to drugs or alcohol during their mother’s pregnancy. Early intervention for young children who are at risk for experiencing high stress can prevent future problems if care is given to them as soon as possible. For example, if a baby or toddler is put into foster care, that child should be getting some type of “early intervention” as well as the right therapy.

Other examples of “potentially traumatic events” for young children are:

• Physical abuse and maltreatment
• Sexual abuse
• Family, school, or community violence
• Death of a loved one, especially a parent or caregiver
• Witnessing Domestic violence
• Medical trauma
• Separation from a parent or caregiver
• Traumatic loss
• Accidents/fires
• Natural Disasters
• War/terrorism

Even though babies and toddlers may not understand the meaning of what they see or hear, they take in the images that are around them and are deeply impacted by the emotions of the people that take care of them. Parents and caregivers play a key part in helping their child cope and respond to traumatic events. When parents or caregivers are grieving or experiencing their own traumatic stress, it can be difficult for them to provide the adequate attention needed by their children. In these instances, it is important for parents to seek support for themselves or reach out to others who can give support to their children. Spending quality time with your baby and toddler, loving and supporting them during difficult times is a great start in the healing process. The good news is that there is treatment for traumatic stress for all ages of children. Please see the Trauma section of this website to learn more.

How to get the best help for your infant or young child

Talking about mental health may be difficult for parents and caregivers. You may want to think about your child ‘s developmental and mental health issues just as you do their physical health issues. For a sick child, you would make an appointment with your child ‘s pediatrician and talk about your concerns. Your doctor is the place to start with a social/emotional or mental health concern. Share your worries and describe what is happening at home or at school. Your pediatrician can help you decide if you need more help. In some cases, your doctor can assure you that some of your concerns are normal issues for your child ‘s developmental age and phase. In other cases, your pediatrician might ask you to get a further evaluation or refer you to a qualified child mental health professional.

If your pediatrician is not able to help, you can seek a consultation through a local child mental health provider, community agency, or early intervention program. Connecticut residents can call the Child Development Infoline at 211 (or 800-505-7000). A consultant from Help Me Grow at 211 will help you get the right referral for your child. Programs available to help you in Connecticut include: Birth to Three Early Intervention that can provide a developmental evaluation or preschool special education through your local school district, a community referral or a way for you to follow your child ‘s development using Ages and Stages (see below section on Developmental Screening). Remember, it is very important for the young child to have his/her developmental or mental health concerns found early, so that he/she can get the right services or intervention. To learn more about the infant/early childhood programs available in Connecticut and nationally, click on the section called, “Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Resources.”

Problems at child care or pre-school

If your child is having problems in child care or pre-school, if a teacher has concerns, you will want to work with your child’s teacher to find an answer. Often there are mental health consultants who can work with you and your child’s teacher to provide guidance for how to respond to your child or how to change the classroom environment to meet your child’s needs. In Connecticut, the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership provides consultants to child care programs and to Foster Parents for mental health concerns. You may ask for help to get an evaluation to see whether your child can get special education services (for ages 3-5 years). If your child is age birth to three, there are services available through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (early intervention).

A child can get special education and related services if they have a significant delay in one or more areas of development, such as learning, speaking or playing. Special education and related services are required by federal and state law. Early childhood special education as defined by the federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Part B) is for 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children with disabilities who need special education. In Connecticut, special education and related services are available to eligible children by age 3 and are provided by local and regional school districts. Connecticut residents can call the Child Development Infoline at 211 or 800-505-7000 to find out about services in each town or to find the nearest local school district.

To get information about mental health in schools for an older child (age 6-18), please read the section of this website, called, “Mental Health in Schools.”

Evaluation and screening

An assessment or screening is the way a practitioner may start a conversation with a parent or caregiver about his/her young child’s social and emotional and physical development. The screening will ask parents and caregivers questions about their young child and his/her physical, social and emotional milestones. The practitioner may ask questions about the child’s learning and care-giving places as well as give the parent/caregiver the chance to share their concerns about their child’s needs. It is important that the evaluation or screening for your infant or toddler be done in your home or a place where you are comfortable.

A Birth to Three Evaluation, as well as evaluations from other home visiting programs will take place at your home. Other settings where the evaluation can be conducted for children older than three are: your pediatrician’s office, at a mental health provider’s office, through an early care or educational institution, through a family resource and support center, or through a community mental health center. A parent/caregiver will want to be with their child during the assessment. Some children will not do well on any type of assessment if they are not comfortable with the place that it is given. Also, it is important for parents/caregivers to understand that they can get a second opinion about their child’s assessment results if they do not agree.

Please see the main section of the www.kidsmentalhealthinfo.com website called, “How to get the Best Help” and “What Questions do I Ask” section. These sections will help a parent/caregiver understand more about the screening process and have access to a list of questions to take to a provider in a first meeting with him/her.

Services

Once a screening or assessment is done, the right service plan can be developed for the child and family. It is important to understand the different treatment choices, which can include consultation in your home or child care, parent/child psychotherapy, play therapy or medication in very special cases. You will want to talk about the options with a health care professional who has experience treating your child’s developmental and mental health issues. For children ages 0-6, parents and caregivers almost always participate in their child’s treatment in some way. For very young children, parents and children often participate in “dyadic” treatment which is when the parent and child take part together in treatment such as parent/child psychotherapy. As your child grows older and does more on his/her own, you may be less involved in your child’s treatment.

Types of treatment

Each infant or young child’s treatment plan will be different depending upon his/her diagnosis and needs. The following are some of the types of treatment available for infants and young children with developmental delays or behavioral problems.

Early Intervention: Early intervention services are for children ages birth to three who have a disability or developmental delay (IDEA, Part C). Depending on your child’s needs, his or her early intervention services may include:

• family training, counseling, and home visits;
• special instruction;
• speech-language pathology services (sometimes referred to as speech therapy);
• audiology services (hearing impairment services);
• occupational therapy;
• physical therapy;
• psychological services; medical services (only for diagnostic or evaluation purposes);
• health services needed to enable your child to benefit from the other services;
• social work services;
• assistive technology devices and services;
• transportation;
• nutrition services; and
• service coordination services.

To learn more about Early Intervention services, please visit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities website. For Connecticut residents, please go to www.birth23.org

Psychosocial therapies: Infant Mental Health Specialists can help parents try and understand what their babies and toddlers might be thinking or trying to communicate. There are limited therapies available for young children. Please see a selection of key treatments below.

Parent-Child Dyadic Therapies:

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP): CPP is an intervention for children aged birth through age 5 who have experienced at least one traumatic and, as a result, are experiencing behavior, attachment, and/or mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The main goal of CPP is to support and strengthen the relationship between a child and his or her parent (or caregiver) as a way to restore the child’s sense of safety and attachment, and improve the child’s cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning. Learn more about CPP.

Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): PCIT is a parent-child treatment program that helps parents of children aged 2-7 years old with behavioral problems (aggression, non-compliance, defiance, and temper tantrums). PCIT focuses on promoting positive parent-child relationships and interactions while teaching parents effective child management skills. PCIT has been adapted as an intervention for many different types of families (child welfare population, at-risk families, adoptive families, foster families, and other languages including Spanish and Chinese). To learn more about PCIT and to find a PCIT therapist in your area, visit the PCIT Training Center website.

Home-Based Therapies:

Child FIRST (Child and Family Interagency Resource, Support and Training): This home-based program focuses on prevention and early identification of at-risk children and their families. Child FIRST was developed by Dr. Darcy Lowell, a developmental pediatrician, and is an innovative evidence-based model which effectively decreases emotional and behavioral problems, developmental and learning problems, and abuse and neglect among very vulnerable young children (prenatal through age six years) and families.

Birth to Three: The Birth to Three System helps families to meet the developmental and health-related needs of infants and toddlers who have delays or disabilities. Parents and caregivers can call the Child Development Infoline at 211 and ask for an evaluation for their child, or download a Referral Form on the Birth to Three website.

Minding the Baby: MTB is an intensive home visiting program for first-time young mothers and their families living in New Haven, Connecticut. This program brings together a home visiting team including a pediatric nurse practitioner and a licensed clinical social worker to promote positive health, mental health, life course, and attachment outcomes in babies, mothers, and their families by helping mothers understand or wonder about what their baby is thinking.

Nurturing Families Network: This program is a no-cost, voluntary program that provides information, guidance and assistance to first-time parents. Available through some 33 community agencies and birthing hospitals throughout Connecticut, the network offers home visiting services, access to parent support groups and community assistance.

Emergency Mobile Crisis Psychiatric Services (EMPS): Service for children and adolescents that gives immediate, mobile assessment and intervention to individuals in an active state of crisis and can occur in a variety of settings including the child’s home, school, local emergency department, or community setting. Because this service is mobile and available to all Connecticut residents, it can be a helpful alternative to bringing your child to an Emergency Department in a time of crisis. To access Mobile Crisis services across Connecticut, call 2-1-1.

Understanding perinatal mental health (maternal depression)

Giving birth and raising children can be very hard. The time right after having a baby can be a very hard time for some women, due to hormonal changes and the stress of caring for a new baby. Although many women feel a short period of sadness after giving birth, (which is a very normal reaction) about 10 to 20 percent of women experience a perinatal mental health issue, which may last for a few days or a few months. These issues may be twice as high for mothers living in poverty. Other mothers may experience longer perinatal mood disorders and need help.

Perinatal Mental Health refers to the emotional and psychological experience of women and their families during the preconception through the postpartum period. Other terms include maternal mental health, maternal depression, postpartum depression, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, perinatal emotional complications.

There are many reasons why a mother might be experience a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder such as marriage problems, money problems, not enough social supports, having a child with special needs, problems with spouse and many others. While many women who experience a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder are very good mothers often their parenting is affected. Mothers who are depressed or anxious may not play with their babies, they may not breastfeed, they may not show books to their child, or talk with their infants and are less likely to follow routines (Addressing Maternal Health in the Pediatric Medical Home, CHDI.org).). Some depressed or anxious mothers may think they are bad parents and can be hard on their children, and in some cases even act unkindly toward their children, due to needing more mental health support.

There is evidence that these disorders have negative effects on infants, toddlers, school-age children and adolescents. Children of depressed and/or anxious mothers have been found to have a hard time establishing warm relationships and bonds with their caregivers. Researchers have found that young children of depressed and/or anxious mothers are tired, do not have energy, have trouble separating, and are more afraid than children of non-depressed mothers. School-aged children of depressed/anxious mothers may have school problems, poor friend relationships, lower self-esteem, behavioral problems, and are at-risk of developing their own depressive and anxiety problems. However, not all children will have negative reactions as a result of their caregiver’s mood disorder. Each child is different, and how they react will be based on their genetic make-up as well as their surroundings.

Treatment

The good news is that there is treatment for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and getting this treatment as early as possible is important for both the caregiver and child. If you think you might be experiencing a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder or any other type of depression, please consult your doctor immediately. If you live in Connecticut, you can also call 2-1-1 or visit their website to search for support. Another website called, Postpartum Support International is a great resource to find support groups and resources in your state. Click here to visit Connecticut’s chapter of Postpartum Support International.

Resources and Community Support:

Connecticut Information and Referral Programs for Peripartum Mood Disorders (Maternal Depression)

Postpartum Education for Parents: http://www.sbpep.org

Postpartum Support International: http://www.postpartum.net

National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

National Institute of Mental Health: NIMH » Home (nih.gov)

(Sources: much of this section has been based on publications from the National Center for Children in Poverty and the NYU Child Study Center):

Infant/Early childhood mental health services and resources

This section lists Connecticut and national resources for infant/ early childhood mental health. To find more resources, please search the Resource Library as well as the section called Parents & Caregivers.

Connecticut resources

211 Child Development Infoline (CDI): CDI care coordinators provide education on development, behavior management strategies and programs, make referrals to services, and provide advocacy and follow-up as needed. By calling the toll-free Child Development Infoline at 211 (or 800-505-7000), families, childcare, healthcare and social service providers can access many of Connecticut’s programs and services for children and their families.

2-1-1: Connecticut residents can call 2-1-1, which is Connecticut’s free information and referral service. Simply by dialing 2-1-1, a toll-free number throughout Connecticut, callers can reach knowledgeable, multilingual staff and get information, referrals or seek help in a crisis.

Community Collaboratives: These are groups of service providers, advocates, and family members who meet together to help families find needed services and develop treatment plans with input from the family. Each of the Community Collaboratives has Care Coordinators and Family Advocates who work with families to help find the child’s service needs and the family’s choices for the kind of service they want. Families do not need to be DCF-involved or in HUSKY to get help from a Community Collaborative, but some services that are recommended may require enrollment in HUSKY or in DCF’s Voluntary Services program.

Child Guidance Clinics: There are over 60 Child Guidance Clinics in Connecticut that offer outpatient behavioral health services for children ages 0-18 and their families, regardless of ability to pay. Child Guidance Clinics may not have staff qualified to serve infants and toddlers and their families, but referrals are still important to establish the need. Even if the clinic near you does not directly serve infants and young children, they will know who in the community is available to serve you.

Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership (BHP): The CT BHP is a partnership that consists of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Carelon, ValueOptions® and a legislatively mandated Oversight Council. The BHP provides behavioral health services for Connecticut’s Medicaid populations, including children and families who are enrolled in HUSKY A, & B, DCF Limited Benefit, Charter Oak Health Plan, Medicaid Low Income Adults (LIA) and Medicaid Fee for Service programs.

Birth to Three: The Birth to Three System helps families to meet the developmental and health-related needs of infants and toddlers who have delays or disabilities. Parents and caregivers can call the Child Development Infoline and ask for an evaluation for their child or download a Referral Form on the Birth to Three website. There is also a list of Birth to Three programs for each town listed on this website. The town links will then take you to a page of information about that town including which Birth to Three Programs are available as well as information about the school’s preschool special education contacts for transition.

Help Me Grow: Help Me Grow is a prevention program of the Connecticut Children’s Trust Fund. This program helps to identify children at risk for developmental or behavioral problems and to connect these children to existing community resources. Families can also receive information on different topics related to their child’s development, such as managing difficult behavior, toilet training, sleep issues, promoting language development, and typical developmental milestone information. To get a referral to Help Me Grow, call the Child Development Infoline at 1-800-505-7000.

Early Childhood Special Education and Related Services: These services are provided to eligible 3, 4 and 5 year old children with disabilities who are entitled to a free appropriate public education in accordance with their individual needs as mandated by special education law. In Connecticut, special education services are provided by local and regional school districts. The Child Development Infoline at 1-800-505-7000 can help families find their local or regional school district’s Preschool Special Education services to discuss the need for an evaluation.

Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs: Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) are those who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition and need health and related services beyond that required for children in general. The Child Development Infoline at 211 or 800-505-7000 can help families link to services in their communities.

Educating Practices: This pediatric training program is based at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Educating Practices informs pediatricians and their staff about critical children’s health issues, including screening for early childhood mental health and development issues.

Child First (Child and Family Interagency Resource, Support and Training): This home-based program focuses on prevention and early identification of at-risk children and their families. Child FIRST was developed by Dr. Darcy Lowell, a developmental pediatrician, and is an innovative evidence-based model which effectively decreases emotional and behavioral problems, developmental and learning problems, and abuse and neglect among very vulnerable young children (prenatal through age 6) and their families.

Minding the Baby (MTB): MTB is an intensive home visiting program for first-time young mothers and their families living in New Haven, Connecticut. This program brings together a home visiting team including a pediatric nurse practitioner and a licensed clinical social worker to promote positive health, mental health, life course, and attachment outcomes in babies, mothers, and their families by helping mothers understand or wonder about what their baby is thinking.

Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (ECCP): The Early Childhood Consultation Partnership is a statewide program managed by Advanced Behavioral Health, ABH® and funded by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). There are 20 master’s-level Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants who are subcontracted by ABH® through 10 non-profit behavioral health care agencies throughout the state. The programs offer child/family, classroom, and child care center-based consultation to support the social and emotional health of young children.

Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health (CT-AIMH): The Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health (CT-­AIMH) is a membership organization that provides statewide opportunities to enhance knowledge and promote a positive influence on the social-­emotional health and development of infants, young children and their families. CT-AIMH provides a set of Competencies in infant mental health which when met can lead to Endorsement in Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health.

Connecticut’s Network of Care for Behavioral Health: This website gives help to individuals, families and agencies concerned with mental health. It provides information about mental health services, laws, and related news, as well as communication tools and other features.

Connecticut Head Start Programs: This is a list of all the Head Start programs in Connecticut (go down to the bottom of the page to see the list). Head Start is a child development program that serves children from birth to age 5 and their families. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, programs are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families. Early Head Start provides services for young children birth to three and their families. These programs have an income eligibility requirement.

National resources:

Head Start

World Association for Infant Mental Health – lists the affiliate states in the United States with their web addresses

Zero to Three

National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations 

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota

National Center for Children in Poverty

Talaris Institute

New York University Child Study Center

Strengthening Families

Center for Social Emotional Foundation for Early Learning

Promoting First Relationships

Frequently asked questions