Welcome to the Infant/Toddler Mental HealthGraduate Certificate Program

at Portland State University

We are Voices for Babies! We are Voices for Babies!

We are dedicated to We are dedicated to

increasing the capacity of professionals in different fieldsincreasing the capacity of professionals in different fields

effectively support the emotional health and well being of effectively support the emotional health and well being of infants, toddlers and their families in diverse settingsinfants, toddlers and their families in diverse settings

in communities across a large geographic area in communities across a large geographic area

What is Infant Mental Health? What is Infant Mental Health?

“ …“ …the the developingdeveloping capacity of the child from capacity of the child from birth to 3 to:birth to 3 to:

- experience, regulate, and express - experience, regulate, and express

emotionsemotions

- form close and secure interpersonal - form close and secure interpersonal relationships relationships

- and explore the environment and - and explore the environment and learn learn

- all in the context of family, community, all in the context of family, community, and cultural expectations for young and cultural expectations for young childrenchildren.” .”

- Zero to Three Infant Mental Health Task - Zero to Three Infant Mental Health Task ForceForce

Looking at some key Looking at some key assumptionsassumptions

A baby’s sense of

•Well-being

•Comfort

•Security

•Competence

•And Connection

Is experienced in the midst of - and through positive, loving relationships.

A nurturing parent-child relationship is the main protective factor for children living in environmental risk or with developmental disabilities. - Bernstein

Engaging a parent through the child (e.g. observation, p/c interaction, developmental guidance) often helps establish a purposeful and long-lasting relationship.

Consistently experiencing positive social relationships over time – promotes optimal human development.

From the national Infant Mental From the national Infant Mental Health Forum, Oct. 2000…Health Forum, Oct. 2000…

““Our country must support young children’s Our country must support young children’s emotional health through a continuum of emotional health through a continuum of comprehensive, individualized, culturally comprehensive, individualized, culturally competent services that focus on competent services that focus on promotion, prevention, and intervention.” promotion, prevention, and intervention.”

Infants, toddlers, and the adults Infants, toddlers, and the adults who care for them need who care for them need relationships that are…relationships that are… IndividualizedIndividualized Strengths-basedStrengths-based Continuous and stableContinuous and stable AccessibleAccessible

Systems that support early Systems that support early relationships are: relationships are:

Child-focused and family-centeredChild-focused and family-centered Culturally responsiveCulturally responsive Community basedCommunity based Comprehensive, coordinated and Comprehensive, coordinated and

integratedintegrated Committed to continuous improvement Committed to continuous improvement

and reflective supervisionand reflective supervision - - From “A commitment to Supporting the Mental Health of Our Youngest From “A commitment to Supporting the Mental Health of Our Youngest

Children” by Rachel Chazan-Cohen, Judith Jerald, and Deborah Stark, Children” by Rachel Chazan-Cohen, Judith Jerald, and Deborah Stark, Aug./Sept. 2001 Zero To Three Aug./Sept. 2001 Zero To Three

Three levels of support,Three levels of support, each is essential … each is essential …

PromotionPromotion – encouraging positive mental health – encouraging positive mental health and social-emotional wellness.and social-emotional wellness.

PreventionPrevention – preventing the occurrence or – preventing the occurrence or escalation of mental health problems and escalation of mental health problems and minimizing social-emotional developmental risk. minimizing social-emotional developmental risk. (usually family-centered) (usually family-centered)

InterventionIntervention – providing intensive services and – providing intensive services and supports to child and family.supports to child and family.

Values-base of the Mental Health Values-base of the Mental Health

PerspectivePerspective - - Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation,Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation,20002000

All children deserve a safe, stable, caring, nurturing environment.All children deserve a safe, stable, caring, nurturing environment.

Consider the young child and his or her parents and caregivers as Consider the young child and his or her parents and caregivers as

individuals, and also consider the quality of the child’s many relationships. individuals, and also consider the quality of the child’s many relationships.

Families are full participants in all aspects of the design, implementation Families are full participants in all aspects of the design, implementation and evaluation of programs and services for their young children.and evaluation of programs and services for their young children.

Services are responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of Services are responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the populations they serve.the populations they serve.

Practices build upon and enhance child, family and staff strengths.Practices build upon and enhance child, family and staff strengths.

The field of Infant Mental Health The field of Infant Mental Health may be defined as… may be defined as…

“ “multi-disciplinary approaches to multi-disciplinary approaches to enhancing the social and emotional enhancing the social and emotional competence of infants in their competence of infants in their biological, relationship, and cultural biological, relationship, and cultural contexts.” contexts.”

- - Charles Zeanah and Paula Zeanah, Aug./Sept. 2001 Charles Zeanah and Paula Zeanah, Aug./Sept. 2001 Zero to Three Zero to Three

Who are We? Who are We? As a group, as a “field”, as a As a group, as a “field”, as a

professional “arena” ? professional “arena” ? Early InterventionEarly Intervention

Child WelfareChild Welfare

Healthy Start/Head Start/Early Head StartHealthy Start/Head Start/Early Head Start

Mental Health Mental Health

Social Services and Family SupportSocial Services and Family Support

Early Childhood Care and EducationEarly Childhood Care and Education

Health careHealth care

Others? Others?

““First in the heart is the First in the heart is the dreamdream

Then the mind starts Then the mind starts seeking a way.” seeking a way.”

-- Langston HughesLangston Hughes

How The Program Came to BeHow The Program Came to Be

A collaboration of professionals from many fields, A collaboration of professionals from many fields, representing educational, training, research, and representing educational, training, research, and practice entities, came together with a desire to: practice entities, came together with a desire to:

build infant/toddler mental health capacity build infant/toddler mental health capacity across various systems of care across various systems of care

expand awareness and capacity outside the expand awareness and capacity outside the metropolitan area– to make training available metropolitan area– to make training available and accessible to rural areasand accessible to rural areas

Features of the ProgramFeatures of the Program

Twenty graduate credits, over four quarters. Twenty graduate credits, over four quarters.

Importance of our learning community.Importance of our learning community.

Instruction is web-based and interactive.Instruction is web-based and interactive.

A A multi-professionalmulti-professional team of faculty plan and teach the team of faculty plan and teach the curriculum content and provide mentoring support during the curriculum content and provide mentoring support during the program. program.

An individually - tailored culminating project is An individually - tailored culminating project is part of the program.part of the program.

Cultural - competence and reflectionCultural - competence and reflection is woven into everything we do.is woven into everything we do.

Course ScheduleCourse ScheduleOur program is currently under revision. Check back for updates or Our program is currently under revision. Check back for updates or

email email sharpml@pdx.edu

CI 592CI 592 Dynamic Models of Infant/Toddler Dynamic Models of Infant/Toddler Development Development (3 credits)(3 credits)

Coun 597 Coun 597 Strengths, Risk Factors, and Strengths, Risk Factors, and Disturbance in Infants Toddlers and Their Disturbance in Infants Toddlers and Their Families Families (3 credits)(3 credits)

SpEd 594SpEd 594Assessment Methods and Classification in Assessment Methods and Classification in Infant Mental Health Infant Mental Health (3 credits)(3 credits)

SpEd 595 SpEd 595 Prevention and Intervention in Infant Prevention and Intervention in Infant Mental Health Mental Health (3 credits)(3 credits)

Coun 520 Coun 520 Collaborative Partnerships to Support Infants, Toddlers, Collaborative Partnerships to Support Infants, Toddlers, and their Families and their Families (3 credits, 1+2 credits – Fall and Spring)(3 credits, 1+2 credits – Fall and Spring)

Coun 507 Coun 507 Professional Development in Infant Mental Professional Development in Infant Mental Health Health (Over 3 terms – total 5 credits)(Over 3 terms – total 5 credits)

“ Consistent, positive social relationships over time promote optimal human development.” -Brenda Jones Harden

You may be wondering…You may be wondering…

How do you provide a “relationship-How do you provide a “relationship-based” approach in an on-line based” approach in an on-line environment? environment?

Professional Development SeminarProfessional Development Seminar

Spans the length of the program - relationships Spans the length of the program - relationships build over timebuild over timeFocuses on roles and challenges of being an Focuses on roles and challenges of being an infant/toddler mental health practitionerinfant/toddler mental health practitionerSupports the examination of ethical and boundary Supports the examination of ethical and boundary issuesissuesPromotes observation, inquiry and self-reflectionPromotes observation, inquiry and self-reflectionOffers a learning community – discussion groups, Offers a learning community – discussion groups, structured differently each term – based on focus structured differently each term – based on focus of content, promote peer dialogue and shared of content, promote peer dialogue and shared learninglearningTwo faculty – model collaboration and provide Two faculty – model collaboration and provide continuity throughout the programcontinuity throughout the program

Big Ideas of the ITMH ProgramBig Ideas of the ITMH Program It’s all about relationships!It’s all about relationships! Respect diversity in colleagues, families, Respect diversity in colleagues, families,

infants and toddlers.infants and toddlers. We all have something to offer, we all have We all have something to offer, we all have

something to learn. something to learn. Reflect, cultivate self-awareness, work to Reflect, cultivate self-awareness, work to

understand your limits.understand your limits. Collaborate. Collaborate. Become more culturally aware, sensitive, and Become more culturally aware, sensitive, and

responsive.responsive. Learn, gain knowledge and insight. Learn, gain knowledge and insight.

Challenges / Lessons LearningChallenges / Lessons Learning

Diverse professional backgrounds of Diverse professional backgrounds of curriculum committee and faculty led to curriculum committee and faculty led to lively discussionslively discussions during the development during the development phase. Some questions discussed: phase. Some questions discussed:

““What is infant/toddler mental health?” What is infant/toddler mental health?”

““Where does helping happen? And what Where does helping happen? And what does it look like? ” does it look like? ”

““What role do non-clinical workers play?” What role do non-clinical workers play?”

etc…etc…

Challenges/Lessons LearningChallenges/Lessons Learning

Diversity of students’ professional Diversity of students’ professional backgrounds and experiencesbackgrounds and experiences

makes it challenging to target the content and makes it challenging to target the content and assignments assignments

creates a healthy opportunity for dialoguecreates a healthy opportunity for dialogue

generates a deeper and broader multi-generates a deeper and broader multi-professional perspective.professional perspective.

For more information…For more information…

To learn more about the program - go to To learn more about the program - go to www.ceed.pdx.edu/itmh. .

If you would like to be informed of If you would like to be informed of program revisions and future infant program revisions and future infant mental health programming - leave your mental health programming - leave your email address on the email address on the contacts pagecontacts page at at that site.that site.