Mental Health - Infant, Family and Children

Contractor:  Florida State University Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy

Agency Contract Number:  M0423

Contract Period:  February 10, 2004 through January 31, 2007

Brief Description of Goals of Contract:

Infant Mental Health Initiative Overview:

This initiative will provide leadership for infant mental health research, policy, and professional development throughout the state.  These activities are conceptualized as occurring at three levels:  Level 1 activities refer to professional development, research, and policy activities that address families and frontline caregivers and enhance their awareness and skills in promoting optimal social-emotional development for all children.  Level 2 activities refer to professional development, research, and policy activities that address professionals from multiple disciplines who serve young children at high risk for developing social-behavioral problems, including children from vulnerable families living in poverty.  This target group of professionals includes primary health care providers, early interventionists, social workers, and foster care workers and families.  Level 3 activities refer to professional development, research, and policy activities that address licensed mental health professionals who provide assessment, diagnosis, consultation, and treatment services for young children with social-emotional difficulties. 

Specifically, the Goals of the Infant Mental Health Initiative are:

Goal 1: To build infant mental health capacity for prevention of social-behavioral problems through expansion of statewide Level 1 in-service workshops with frontline caregivers

Goal 2: To infuse evidence based practices and relationship-based practices into Level 2 health and social services and to enhance professionals' skills in evidence based practices in work with high-risk children and families through expansion of statewide Level 2 workshops and collaborative training with the FSU School of Medicine

Goal 3: To build capacity for effective Level 3 assessment, diagnosis, therapy, and consultation for families with children under age 5 who have severe emotional-behavioral problems through expansion of statewide Level 3 workshops and collaborative training with the FSU School of Social Work

Goal 4: To establish a framework for areas of competence for Infant Mental Health Specialists in Florida to guide pre-service and in-service professional development and evaluation

Goal 5: To review longitudinal data regarding evidence-based practices in infant mental health for recommendations for service expansion to Medicaid families in Florida

Increasing Family Health and Wellness through Quality Child Care

A new, intensive Quality Child Care Initiative will be conducted in Leon County with childcare centers serving Medicaid children and families.  This initiative aims to use a multidisciplinary approach, utilizing the expertise of Early Childhood Mentors and a Comprehensive Services Team, to improve the overall quality of child care programs, thus bettering the health and wellness of those served by the programs.  Instead of the traditional case management model that provides support directly to families and children, this Initiative proposes to have the Comprehensive Services Team, composed of a nurse and/or a social worker, work with child care providers to increase and promote their awareness of health and developmental issues.  It is the expectation that the providers will then be positioned to help families better manage their health care needs and those of their child/children.

Specifically, the Goals of the Quality Child Care Initiative are:

Goal 1: To support the complex needs of vulnerable families by enhancing responsive parenting/caregiving, promoting family well being, and ensuring the early identification of developmental risk factors by providing family-focused training and support

Goal 2: To improve the quality of childcare in Florida by providing professional development activities statewide for child care trainers and providers

Goal 3: To improve the quality of childcare in Florida by providing ongoing consultation and technical assistance statewide for child care trainers, directors, and providers

Goal 4: To refine a model of childcare quality improvement by conducting intensive quality initiatives in early care and education centers

Summary of Significant Amendments:

Current Status: Ongoing/Complete

            ___X__            Ongoing

            _____            Complete

Deliverables:

Agency Contact: Bruce Congleton

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