Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants Early Childhood Consultation Partnership® Funded and Supported by Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families And Managed by Advanced Behavioral Health ® ®

Advanced Behavioral Health Summary ECCP Program Highlights Overview Program Service Structure Management Structure Hiring Protocol Workforce Qualifications Education Experience in the Field Attributes-Characteristics Competencies-Skills Workforce Selection Obstacles and Considerations Competency Based Decision Making Considers Candidates Workforce Development Needs Workforce Development Merging 3 Fields Workforce Development Opportunities Competency Driven Service Integration Early Care and Education Mental Health Information Systems Macro (Systems) Approach to Workforce Development Benefits ®

Advanced Behavioral Health ECCP Highlights One of the first statewide, data driven, comprehensive early childhood mental health consultation programs. In 2007 the results of a rigorous random-controlled evaluation-one of the first evaluations of a large-scale of early childhood mental health consultation. ECCP demonstrated statistically significant decreases in acting out behaviors. ECCP is featured in “What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs.” Evidenced-Based Best Practice Model Georgetown University ECCP has created “Solid Ground: A Resource for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation”

Advanced Behavioral Health Program Overview Funded by the Department of Children and Families Developed and managed by Advanced Behavioral Health Inc. Goal to reduce suspension and expulsion rates by capacity building Design incorporates centralized data system with program structure Highlights Staff Development

Advanced Behavioral Health Program Service Structure Phone Consultation Three Levels of Care Community Capacity Building Participation in Statewide Initiatives A detailed description of the ECCP program can be found in “What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs” Pages

Advanced Behavioral Health Child-Specific ECCP Service Structure Core Classroom Intensive Site 6 hrs weekly - 1 academic yr Staff Needs Assessment Policy Review Center Action Plan Behavioral Health Team 2 Center Trainings 5 Child-Specifics 3-4 Core Classrooms Director Support (1 site is 1/3 caseload per Year) Child-Specific 10 hours total – 6 weeks Pre and Post Assessment Home & Class Observations Action Plan Strategies Referrals Support Visits (Caseload per Year) Child-Specific Core Classroom 4 hrs weekly - 14 weeks Pre and Post Assessment Classroom Action Plan Strategies Weekly Tech Assistance Center Wide Training 2 Child-Specifics Teacher & Director Support (Caseload per Year)

Advanced Behavioral Health State and Community Capacity Building Members of community based collaborative groups Provides trainings on social emotional topics Facilitates monthly Mental Health Consultation groups Involved in statewide initiatives

Advanced Behavioral Health Program Management Central Management & Statewide Oversight Program Manager Role Subcontracted Consultant Positions Subcontracting Agencies ECMH Consultants Data Driven-Centralized Information System Centralized and Interactive Data Collection Reporting Guides the Consultant’s Work (Model fidelity) Tracks Workforce Development

Advanced Behavioral Health Hiring Hiring Protocol (Handout) Job Ad Job Description (Handout) Interview Home Agency and ABH Qualification and Skills of MHC (ECMHC Tool Kit) ECCP Interview Questions (Handout)

Advanced Behavioral Health Work Force Qualifications Highly Qualified Mental Health Consultants Education Experience in the Field Attributes and Characteristics Competencies-Skills ®

Advanced Behavioral Health Education Masters Degree in One of the Following: (Preferred Licensed Mental Health).  Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling, Psychology.  Psychiatric-Pediatric Nursing, Special Education, Child Development Early Childhood Education  Other Human Services Related Field

Advanced Behavioral Health Experience in the Field Mental Health Child Development Early Childhood Care and Education At Least 2 Years Field Experience Past Employment Experience (Combination)

Advanced Behavioral Health Attributes and Characteristics Professional Ability to engage Flexible Objective Goal oriented Honest Empathic Initiative Team member Ability to problem solve Application of knowledge and expertise

Advanced Behavioral Health ECCP ECMHC Competencies 1. Demonstrated Knowledge of Early Childhood Development, Mental Health, and Early Care & Education 2. Engagement, Relationship Building, and Collaboration with Families and Caregivers 3. Observation, Screening, and Data Collection Skills 4. Technical Assistance: Action Plan Development and Strategy Implementation 5. Community Systems, Partnerships, and Resources 6. The Consultative Role: Professional Standards and Reflective Practice

Advanced Behavioral Health Workforce Selection Obstacles and Considerations Workforce limitations Client population Service design Goodness of fit Competency Based Decision Making Selection based on competencies Create balance of competencies Supports consistent hiring practices Considers Candidates Workforce Development Needs Competencies as a planning guide

Advanced Behavioral Health Work Force Development: Merging 3 Fields ECMHC Competencies Merge 3 Fields Early Care and Education Mental Health Information Systems ECCP Program Provides Workforce Development Opportunities Orientation Shadowing Start Up Trainings Continuing Education Trainings Supervision

Advanced Behavioral Health Workforce Development: Service Integration Competency Driven Service-Initiative Integration Three Fields 1. Early Childhood Care and Education 2. Mental Health 3. Information Systems Macro-Level Work Force Development Benefits ®

Advanced Behavioral Health Early Care and Education Early Learning Guidelines Connecticut “Charts A Course” NAEYC Connecticut Preschool Bench Marks Head Start

Advanced Behavioral Health Early Childhood Mental Health Infant Mental Health Endorsement Shared Trainings: Multidisciplinary Consultation Training (NTI) Clinical Trainings DCF Training Academy

Advanced Behavioral Health Information Systems Critical Component ABH/ECCP Centralized IT System Tracks: a. ECCP Training & Orientation Activities b. ECMHC Trainings Attended by ECCP c. Trainings Conducted by ECCP Assess ECCP Program Training Needs Tracks Coordination of ECCP & Statewide Workforce Development Efforts

Advanced Behavioral Health Macro Approach to Workforce Development Benefits of ECCP System Integration Integrated Response - to Connecticut’s ECMH workforce needs Coordinates - across statewide training initiatives to identify gaps and avoid unnecessary duplication Cost Effective - shared training opportunities within the state Data Driven- readily available data to inform, program leads, stakeholders and policy makers

Advanced Behavioral Health ECCP Contact Information Advanced Behavioral Health ECCP Program Manager Liz Bicio, LCSW (860) ®