The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education invites you to attend the
Early Childhood Mental Health Conference
Developing a Comprehensive Approach to Children's Mental Health
January 30, 2003
9:00 - 3:00 p.m.
The Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel
Marlboro, MA
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff
Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff is Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and the Samuel F. and Rose B. Gingold Professor of Human Development and Social Policy at Brandeis University. Prior to becoming the dean of the School in 1994, he was an academic pediatrician. Dean Shonkoff's primary research interests focus on early childhood policy, particularly as related to vulnerable children and families. He co-authored the widely acclaimed report From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development.
The Early Childhood Mental Health Conference on January 30th is full.
No registrations will be accepted and no walk-ins will be admitted to the Conference. |
Conference Schedule:
| 9:00 a.m. | Registration and Continental Breakfast | |
| 9:15 a.m. | Welcome |
| 9:30 a.m. | Keynote Address |
| 10:45 a.m. | Break |
| 11:00 a.m. | Please select from the Workshop Sessions listed inside. |
| 12:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:45 a.m. | Session II (Regional Sessions on Guidelines for Implementing a
Mental Health Study Group and Identification of Regional Needs,
Strategies and Resources.) |
Conference:
This is a kick-off event for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Early Childhood Mental Health Project. This project supports study groups that bring together early care and education and elementary school professionals to discuss mental health issues in the early years (Pre-K through Grade 3). This conference is intended for those interested in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Early Childhood Mental Health Study Group Project (Fund Code 216). The link to the RFP is:
http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/Grants/grants03/rfp/216.html
Space is very limited, so register early. The conference is being sponsored by Early Learning Services in collaboration with the Office of Special Education Planning and Policy Development.
Hotel Directions:
The Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel is located at 181 Boston Post Road in Marlboro, MA. From the Massachusetts Turnpike, take exit 11A to 495 North. From 495, take exit 24B to Route 20 West. The Royal Plaza is approximately 1 mile from the exit, on the right.
Snow Policy:
If the Marlborough Public Schools are closed on January 30, 2003 due to snow, then the conference will be cancelled. If the Marlborough Public Schools have a delayed opening, the conference will begin at the scheduled time of 9:00 a.m.
Registration:
Please note that space is very limited for the Early Childhood Mental Health Conference. There is a limit of two attendees per school district. Community members who work with young children and families are invited to attend but only as space permits. The registration deadline is January 23, 2003. Registrations received after January 23rd will not be accepted and will be returned.
The one page registration form is enclosed and should be faxed to (781) 338-3370. Please use one registration form per person.
Registration applications will be your confirmation. No additional confirmation will be sent. If seating capacity is reached before the deadline of January 23rd, registration will be closed and applications will be returned. If you have any questions about the conference registration, please contact Emily Roy at (781) 338-6355 or eroy@doe.mass.edu.
There are no continuing education credits available for this conference. A certificate of attendance will be provided to each participant.
There is no conference fee. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Workshop Session I:
| Session A: | Children's Support Services: Providing a System of Care for Young Children with Social/Emotional/Behavioral Difficulties
Karen Tewhey, Lowell Public Schools Early Childhood Administrator Darcie Coleman-Plourde, MSPCC Behavior Specialist Pam Comer, Elementary Behavior Specialist
Children's Support Services is a multidisciplinary, interagency collaborative project that provides a system of care for young children with social/emotional needs and their families. Facilitated by the Early Childhood Department of the Lowell Public Schools, it offers consultation and case management services to providers and teachers and a range of mental health, family service and early education supports to children ages 3-8 and their families. The aim of the project is to stabilize children in programs so that positive growth and learning can occur. This session will provide an overview of the project and will follow a case study of a child who exhibits challenging behaviors in a child care center, including a description of services provided over time and the child's entrance into public school. Changes in the child's profile using the DECA assessment will also be discussed. |
| Session B: | Panel Discussion of Mental Health Services in the Elementary School Setting
Panelists to be determined
This session will be a cross-disciplinary panel discussion on mental health services in the elementary school setting. This will include a focus on the comprehensive elementary school model. Representatives from Massachusetts' school districts and other education professionals will discuss models of service delivery, strategies for best practice, and current challenges in supporting the school-age child. There will be an opportunity for audience participation. |
| Session C: | The Impact of Trauma on Young Children
Catherine C. Ayoub, Associate Professor Harvard University
The impact of traumatic events on young children can be profound and long lasting. Traumatic events may be varied and include familial trauma such as a loss of a family member, child abuse, conflicted divorce, or domestic violence, situational trauma such as serious accidents and natural disasters, and community or societal violence. In order to address the mental health issues resulting from early trauma, we will review the developmental adaptation to coping with traumatic events. |
| Session D: | The SPARCC Program (Specialist in Preschool At-Risk Child Care): A model for meeting the mental health needs of young children and their families in early care and education settings.
Alison Rogers, Ed.D. LMHC, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
The SPARCC Program was designed and implemented as a pilot project at the Hampshire Educational Collaborative in 1998 with funding from the Community Partnership for Children Grant. The goal of the program is to provide high quality early childhood education programs to children 0-6 at risk for social, emotional, and behavioral disturbances by cross- training seasoned early childhood educators in behavioral health and placing them in early care and education settings with high concentrations of children at-risk. Licensed mental health professionals with early childhood education backgrounds provide pre-service and ongoing training and supervision. Collaboration, consultation and training are also provided to all participating center staff. The presentation will describe the program model including child assessment, interventions and program evaluation with a focus on adapting the model to a variety of settings. There will be ample time for questions and discussion. |
| Session E: | Cross Systems Training in Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health
Kate Roper, Ed.M., Adjunct Faculty Member/Consultant, University Partnership for Infant Toddler Professionals
This session will highlight a successful model of cross systems training on infant-toddler mental health and discuss adapting the model to focus on children 3-8. The session will present a family centered, strengths-based, collaborative approach to addressing young children's mental health on multiple levels, including promotion, prevention and intervention. Three training module topics will be discussed: critical issues in young children's social emotional development, strategies for supporting children and families, and working with families facing difficult challenges. Participants will be introduced to texts, articles, and video resources on these topics. Challenges and opportunities in cross systems curriculum design and course coordination will also be discussed. |
| Session F: | Introduction to the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA)
Susan Damico, Devereux Foundation's Direction of Operations Linda Likins, Devereux Foundation's National Project Director
Participants will learn about resilience theory and within-child protective factors in preschool-aged children (ages 2-5). Participants will have the opportunity to assess a child's resilience and behavioral concerns. Working with parents and implementing strategies based on assessment results will be discussed. For more information about the DECA and the Devereux Foundation, please visit the web-site at www.devereux.org. |
| Session G: | Speak Out for Access: The Experiences of Massachusetts Families Navigating the Mental Health System
Lisa Lambert, Assistant Director, Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PAL)
Children with mental health needs face many barriers including stigma, costs, lack of information, gaps in services and poor quality of treatment. Yet it is unknown which of these barriers are perceived by families to result in delays in accessing treatments. In 2001, 301 families whose children have mental health needs responded to a 42-question survey, Speak Out for Access. The results are intended to give Massachusetts families the opportunity to inform policy makers and the public of the needs of their children and the results put the problem in new relief by quantifying just how difficult services are to obtain. |
| Session H: | Strategies to Support Emotional Wellness of Children, Families and Staff: Findings from a Head Start Mental Health Task Force
Amy Borg, M.Ed, MPH, New England RAP, Education Development Center, Inc. Martha Irwin, LICSW, Preschool Outreach Program Director, The Home for Little Wanderers
During this workshop, participants will have an opportunity to explore strategies and current guidance regarding the support of emotional wellness of children, families, and staff in Head Start and other early care and education programs. Participants will discuss a Head Start Mental Health Task Force Report, and recently issued guidance from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning and the National Center for Poverty. |
Workshop Session II:
Session II will be assigned by region. No selection is necessary.
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to review guidelines for implementing a mental health study group and to identify regional needs, strategies, and resources.
last updated: January 30, 2003
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