Please visit the new Center of Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CoE IECMHC). This center is continuing the work begun under the first CoE for IECMHC.

Vision Statement on Communications

The Center’s vision is that infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) will be widely recognized as a preventive intervention to ensure that all young children experience optimal social and emotional development, which links directly to better school, mental health, and life outcomes. It will be clearly understood and accepted that early childhood settings are significantly strengthened in achieving their goals as a result of the inclusion of IECMHC.

Additional information on working with tribal communities.

Toolbox Resources

To help IECMHC grow and reach the greatest number of children and families, consultants must “make the case for IECMHC.” They need to explain why it’s so important, how it’s unique from other mental health services, whom it benefits, and how it improves the quality of early childhood services. Use the following documents and resources to help communicate the importance of IECMHC:

• Introduction to Communications – 2017 (PDF | 915 KB) introduces the importance of communications strategy in promoting and expanding IECMHC.
• The IECMHC Communications Package provides clear messages and definitions to share with stakeholders about the importance of IECMHC. It includes the following materials:
  • IECMHC presentation template – 2017 (PPT | 2.3 MB)
  • Sample letters to the editor – 2017 (PDF | 345 KB)
  • Sample op-ed – 2017 (PDF | 549 KB)
  • Sample social media content – 2017 (PDF | 1.7 MB)
  • IECMHC messaging – 2017 (PDF | 857 KB)
• Crafting Effective Messages
  • IECMHC Cog 1: Stages of Change (PDF | 396 KB)
  • IECMHC Cog 2: Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs (PDF | 245 KB)
  • IECMHC Cog 3: Diffusion of Innovation Theory (PDF | 384 KB)
  • IECMHC Cog 4: Motivating Concerns (PDF | 247 KB)
• Communications: Key Resources – 2017 (PDF | 1.1 MB) is a compilation of links to other useful communications toolkits and additional information on the basics of a communications strategy.

Find additional resources in the IECMHC Toolbox, including guidance on:

• Systems and Policy
• Models
• Research and Evaluation
• Competencies
• Workforce Development
• Financing