“Early Childhood Mental Health considers the healthy social and emotional development of young children. It also refers to the mental health difficulties and disorders experienced by very young children. Services that address the mental health needs of young children exist along a continuum of increasing support and range from promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment.” 1

The Early Childhood Consultation Partnership (ECCP®) is an early childhood mental health consultation program that provides a range of service types along the mental health service continuum.

Continuum
of Care		 Promotion Prevention Early
Intervention		 Treatment
What is the
Continuum of Care?

Early Childhood Mental Health		 Promoting awareness & understanding of healthy social emotional development.
Learn More »		 Reducing risk factors that may lead to mental health issues.
Learn More »		 Reducing challenging behaviors & mental health symptoms.
Learn More »		 Addressing or reducing impact from mental health problems or disorders.
Learn More »
ECCP Services Promotion Prevention Early
Intervention		 Treatment
Early Childhood Mental
Health Consultation
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Definition:
A problem-solving and capacity-building intervention implemented within a collaborative relationship between a professional consultant with early childhood mental health expertise and one or more caregivers, typically an early care and education provider and/or family member. Early childhood mental health consultation aims to build the capacity (improve the ability) of staff, families, programs, and systems to prevent, identify, treat and reduce the impact of mental health problems among children from birth to age 6 and their families. (Adapted from Cohen & Kaufmann, 2000)

 		Providing public social emotional resources, trainings, consultations and program or provider level support. Providing targeted social emotional resources, support and screenings for classrooms and “at risk” children. Promoting teacher/caregiver and family partnerships. Providing specialized screenings, hands-on strategies for a specific child's needs. Providing referrals for child evaluation and treatment.
Select a Service:
Promotion Services
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ECCP Provides the Following Promotion Services:
Prevention Services

ECCP Provides the Following Prevention Services:

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Early Intervention Services
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ECCP Provides the Following Early Intervention Services:

  

Services

The Early Childhood Consultation Partnership’s (ECCP®) Consultation services are available on a continuum of care to include, center-wide services, classroom services, or individual child services. The consultations which are provided by Master’s-level mental health professionals are provided following a request for services. Families, providers, educators, or directors may request a service. The service level provided by ECCP® is based on the needs of the individual or program seeking services.

Services may last anywhere from 6 weeks (Child) to 14 weeks (Classroom) to 9 months (Center). For each service, ECCP® seeks to build capacity through partnerships in order to meet the social emotional and/or behavioral needs of young children. Specific consultation topics may range anywhere from aggressive behavior in children, to the tone of a classroom and responsiveness of teaching staff, or to the supports a center director would like to provide their staff.

About Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation covers a spectrum of service types along the mental health service continuum. These include Early Childhood Mental Health promotion, prevention, and early intervention.

Defining Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: A problem-solving and capacity-building intervention implemented within a collaborative relationship between a professional consultant with early childhood mental health expertise and one or more caregivers, typically an early care and education provider and/or family member. Early childhood mental health consultation aims to build the capacity (improve the ability) of staff, families, programs, and systems to prevent, identify, treat and reduce the impact of mental health problems among children from birth to age 6 and their families. (Adapted from Cohen & Kaufmann, 2000)

1. Adapted from Parlakian, P. and Seibel, N.L. (2002). Building Strong Foundations, Practical Guidance for Promoting the Social-Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers.