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Presented at the 22nd Annual Research Conference

Early Childhood Systems of Care: Perspectives From Three Federally Funded Sites.

Download Handouts: 267 KB pdf

Session Number: 11 Room: Salon G

Presentation Type: symposium

Chair: Melissa L. Whitson Discussant:

Synopsis: Systems of care for children with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties have traditionally focused on a school-aged population. However, early childhood is a critical period for the onset of emotional and behavioral impairments. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), between 4 and 6 percent of preschoolers have serious emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Research suggests that intervening when emotional and behavioral difficulties begin to emerge significantly impacts the effectiveness of an intervention, as well as the cost. In response to these and similar findings, a number of early childhood systems of care have recently begun to be supported. The purpose of this symposium is to present findings from three federally funded early childhood systems of care. The first presentation provides information about the young children and families being served, including child and family characteristics, and relevant risk and protective factors that are present within these populations. The second presentation expands on the first by examining the influence of pertinent risk factors on child outcomes six months after entry into the system of care. The final presentation challenges us to examine social-emotional difficulties in young children from a public health perspective.

Date: Monday, March 2, 2009

Session Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Predictors of 6-month Outcomes for Children Receiving Services within an Early Childhood System of Care

We're sorry, handouts are not available for this presentation.

Presenting: Joy Kaufman; Melissa Whitson

All Authors for this paper: Joy Kaufman; Melissa Whitson; Ilene Berson; Maria Garcia-Casellas; Cindy Crusto; Meghan Finley

Presentation Type: element of symposium

Synopsis: In recent years, a number of systems of care have focused on young children with severe emotional and behavioral challenge; however, little is known about risk factors that may predict outcomes for these children. Data was pooled from three SAMHSA funded system of care communities with the goal of examining these predictors.

Translating Research into Practice: Strategies for Implementing a Public Health Approach to Early Childhood Mental Health

We're sorry, handouts are not available for this presentation.

Presenting: Ilene Berson

All Authors for this paper: Ilene Berson

Presentation Type: element of symposium

Synopsis: A public health approach to early childhood mental health emphasizes the promotion, preservation and restoration of young children’s socio-emotional well being. This presentation will translate the findings from the early childhood systems of care into practice strategies that reflect a comprehensive, systematic, public health approach to improving the mental health status of young children. The discussion will highlight the importance of a complementary focus on strengthening protective factors and promoting resilience to help reduce the negative outcomes of current and future risk exposure.

Characteristics of Children Presenting to Early Childhood Mental Health Systems of Care

We're sorry, handouts are not available for this presentation.

Presenting: Cindy Crusto

All Authors for this paper: Cindy Crusto; Meghan Finley; Ilene Berson; Maria Garcia-Casellas; Joy Kaufman

Presentation Type: element of symposium

Synopsis: Early childhood mental health systems of care develop services and supports to promote positive mental health, prevent mental health problems and provide mental health interventions for children, aged birth to six years, and their families. With a few notable exceptions, SAMHSA children’s mental health systems of care communities have primarily addressed the mental health challenges of older children and youths and their families. A growing number of early childhood mental health systems of care are being supported, yet little is known across communities about the demographic and background characteristics of these children or their experiences that may have and continue to place them at risk for or protect them from psychiatric difficulties. This presentation pools data from three different federally (SAMHSA) funded early childhood systems of care communities to: 1) understand who are the young children aged birth to six years and their families served, and 2) report on factors that may have increased children’s risk for social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges or protected them from these difficulties.