1. LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research
The Crying Clinic: AN INNOVATIVE, ACCESSIBLE WALK-IN SERVICE FOR NEW PARENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS
Presented at: CMHO Symposium Lab 2016, Toronto, Ontario
Authors: Yvonne Bohr, Leigh Armour, Norma Sockett-DiMarco, Mariami Khourochvili
LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research

2. THe NEEDS OF A STRESSED Community drive Infant Mental Health Outreach
In 2011 our ICT Team launched an infant mental Health outreach project
Access & awareness Cultural collaborations Treatment Infants Outreach Newcomers & immigrants

3. Background Families in scarborough: A STRESSED Community A population-At-risk for perinatal mood disorders
7000 babies born in Scarborough per year
This means potentially mothers with PMD
An increased risk for infant mental health problems
 Were we reaching the most vulnerable families with infants?
Did we need a new initiative? …

4. Background Families in scarborough: A population-At-risk for perinatal mood disorders
In developing our new initiative, we reviewed:
existing psychotherapeutic interventions for pregnant women and women suffering from PMD
interventions that have shown effectiveness with mothers and infants “at-risk” for the repercussions of PMDs, especially in immigrant communities
stressors faced by immigrant families and the underuse of mental health services

5. A CRYING CLINIC
Why Crying??

6. A New Initiative: Making Infant Mental Health Accessible by Providing an Innovative Service
The focus on crying, a universally recognizable infant behavior and potential symptom, helps to identify vulnerabilities in the parent-infant relationship.

7. A New Initiative Making Infant Mental Health Accessible by Providing an Innovative Service
Depressed mothers report difficulties in reading their infants’ crying1
Excessive infant crying can be related to:
increased depressive symptoms,
pregnancy related anxiety, and
parenting stress during pregnancy2
1. Frizzo, Vivian, Piccinini & Lopes, 2012
2. Van, van Eijsden & Bonsel, 2007

8. A free service for parents coping with a crying infant birth-3 years
Crying Clinic
A free service for parents coping with a crying infant birth-3 years
Better understand your child’s crying
Gain coping strategies
Learn about helpful community resources
Walk-in, non-medical service
Individualized support
No referral needed
No appointment necessary
Every Monday (excluding major holidays)
1-3pm (last appointment scheduled at 2:30)

9. What Happens at the Crying Clinic
Manualized administration of an assessment/intervention provided by infant mental health specialists:
Interview built around parent concern and screening for common PMD & IMH concerns
Short screening measures & outcome assessments
Brief psychotherapeutic intervention:
Insight
Strategies
Resources
Treatment plan
Referral (if applicable)
Client Satisfaction Survey

10. SUCCESSES: Evaluation of the Crying Clinic

11. Referral and Concerns

12. Demographics

13. Results of Screening

14. Case Outcomes

15. LESSONS LEARNED: STEPS TAKEN
Sustainability
continued outreach and advertising
Expansion
increase service usage
bridging community enthusiasm and interest to facilitate clients coming to the door

16. LESSONS LEARNED
Infant Mental Health Shared Care: providing a seamless, integrated continuum of early years services
from prevention and intervention to infant mental health treatment
traveling Crying Clinic: facilitated referral, enhanced service coordination and identified treatment plan

17. Acknowledgments The Infant Child Treatment Team at Aisling Discoveries
Child & Family Centre:
Sevda Akilli
Linda Brightling
Becky Dolbear
Joan Hanson
Farheen Jamal
Lisa Milligan
Kim Surchin

18. LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research
Ataollahi
Acknowledgments
At Aisling Discoveries
Babies Best Start
Community Support
Zel Fellegi
Janet McCrimmon & the Board of Directors
The Clients of the Crying Clinic
Community Partners
Toronto Public Health
Catholic Crosscultural Services
At York University
BohrLab Volunteers:
Yookyung Lee
Shirin Ataollahi
Sumeet Farwaha
Rachel Perrier
LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research

19. For additional information please email