From Relationships to Reality: Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Competencies

1. From Relationships to Reality: Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Competencies IDEA Partnership Project

2. Presenters: Manuela Fonseca Early Education Coordinator, VT Department of Education Brenda Bean Early Childhood Mental Health Program Director VT Department for Children and Families Sherry Schoenberg Children’s Mental Health Training Consultant University of Vermont Karen Mikkelsen Program Associate Northeast Regional Resource Center Learning Innovations/WestEd

3. First Task • Take a moment to answer this question: How would you define the field of early childhood and family mental health? • Write a short description that you will share with others.

4. VT Early Childhood & Family Mental Health Competencies • Background • CUPS Learning Team (1997-2003) • Identified knowledge and practices that promote young children’s social and emotional development • Provided extensive in-service learning opportunities in early childhood and family mental health. Shared Agenda (2002 – present) • Identified early childhood & family mental health competencies that all providers should have, and additional competencies for professionals in specialized fields

5. Partners • State Departments of Education and Mental Health, and Health • State and local mental agencies • Parents and advocates • Early childhood special educators (FITP and EEE) • Head Start • Department for Children and Families • Early care and education providers • Occupational therapists • Speech and Language Pathologists • Mental health clinicians • Policy makers – Federal and state levels • Higher Education Collaborative

6. Project Goals • Develop early childhood and family mental health competencies. • Review existing programs to determine inclusion of the early childhood and family mental health competencies • Promote inclusion of these competencies in preparation programs • Promote the development of curriculum content when gaps are identified. • Develop a system for assessing individual’s competency levels. • Develop meaningful certification systems that include incentives for professionals to continue pursuing expertise in the competencies, i.e. systems of rewards and recognition in each of the four levels. • Identify immediate application for the competencies, i.e. Administrative Medicaid eligibility.

7. Competency Development Process • Meetings with partners – two formal stakeholder meetings • Designate members to form a small group to draft competencies • Ensure alignment with new core competencies for early care and education professionals • Gather comments on draft from partners and other stakeholders • Finalize competencies, publish and disseminate

8. VT Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Competencies Organized into 6 categories: • Philosophy and Professional Orientation • Child Development • Family Systems • Assessment • Addressing Challenges • System Resources

9. Four Levels in Each Competency Area • Level I @ Associate’s Degree: Child care provider, home health, Head Start, etc. • Level II @ Bachelor’s: Childcare director, kindergarten teacher, registered nurse, etc. • Level III @ Master’s: Special education teacher, mental health consultant, etc. • Level IV @ Post-Master’s, Doctorate’s: Therapist, professor, agency director, etc.

10. Work in Progress • Disseminate the competencies for public input • Utilize the Level III competencies to determine Administrative Medicaid eligibility • Work to integrate ECFMH competencies with early care and education core competencies to promote learning opportunities

11. Vermont’s Professional Preparation & Development Committee • Community of Practice – task orientation and shared work • Shared work is “advancing the professional development of early childhood, after school, and early childhood and family mental health professionals” • Shared Agenda for Early Childhood and Family Mental Health is now a “practice group.”

12. Communities of Practice • Advantages to shared work • Challenges and benefits • Expanding beyond borders: Montshire • The Joy is in the Journey

13. Concluding the session • In a small group, generate responses to this question: What are your recommendations for integrating these competencies into already existing licensing or certification systems? • After discussing and recording the answer to the first question, generate responses to: How would you ascertain already existing competencies in a person applying for a job or entry to a program?

14. For More Information Contact: • Karen Mikkelsen: kmikkel@wested.org • Brenda Bean: bbean@srs.state.vt.us • Manuela Fonseca: manuelafonseca@education.state.vt.us