Utilizing Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation for Optimal Outcomes

• Understand the importance of incorporating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation into the assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning process for a child involved in therapy
• Develop skills for assessing childcare environment needs utilizing free resources from the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation field
• Develop skills for providing ongoing support to childcare and teaching staff to assist in the attainment of treatment goals for the child, and
• Identify barriers to effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and possible solutions to overcome those barriers

When children are referred to therapy due to behaviors in the early care and education environment, focusing interventions solely on the child may result in continued challenges in the early childhood environment—where the child spends a majority of his or her time—and in many cases, may increase the child’s risk of expulsion. To be effective with a child in therapy and decrease the chances of the child’s expulsion, incorporating early childhood mental health consultation for the child’s caregivers and educators may be essential to the successful treatment of the child and decreasing the child’s risk of expulsion (Neufield, S., 2015, Gilliam, W.S., 2008).

This workshop will introduce early childhood mental health professionals to the value of incorporating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation into their work with individual children in therapy, introduce them to free resources to utilize with Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation interventions and identify barriers to implementation of Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation practice and possible solutions to overcome those barriers. Lecture and small group breakouts will assist with facilitating the learning processes.

Emily Learing has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies and a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in South Dakota and Minnesota and holds the Registered Play Therapist credential. Ms. Learing is trained in the DC: 0-5, a special tool for the observation of the birth to 5 population and their caregivers for the purpose of mental health assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning. She is in private practice in Sioux Falls, SD, where she provides counseling to young children and their families, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation to child care and early childhood education programs and staff training to child care programs.

This training is designed to meet 2 hours of continuing education requirements for various disciplines (Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling, Psychology, Social Work) pending board approval.

Continuing Education certificates will be provided to document attendance and participation.

This organization, Encompass Mental Health and approval ID #1065, is approved as a provider for continuing education by the: South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners. Social Workers will receive 2 continuing education clock hours for participating in this course.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Encompass Mental Health, 1110 East 77th Street, Sioux Falls, United States