Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Abstract Increasing Capacity to Address the Unmet Mental Health Needs of Colorado's Children For a variety of reasons, including a lack of awareness of age-appropriate norms and expectations, as well as stigma, mental health problems in young children (0-8) are often unrecognized or misunderstood and therefore go untreated. This is true for children who are typically developing as well as for children with developmental disabilities (DD). This is unfortunate, since sound mental health provides the foundation for all aspects of a child's development, and early treatment increases the likelihood of positive outcomes. Our project aims to address this critically important public health issue by offering training to a diverse group of individuals in Colorado who touch the lives of young children-professionals, paraprofessionals, first responders, parents, and other family members alike. Training will focus on recognizing mental health challenges experienced by young children who are typically developing or have developmental disabilities, learning effective ways to respond to tantrums, meltdowns, or other challenging or aggressive behaviors, understanding when a referral to a mental health professional may be warranted, knowing how to connect with referral resources in the state. To reach as wide and diverse a population in communities across the state, particularly those that have traditionally been underserved, trainings will be offered both virtually (through ECHO) and in-person. We plan to adapt the Colorado Foundations curriculum offered by the Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health (CoAIMH) with content appropriate for young children (0-8 years) who are typically developing or diagnosed with ASD/DD. Colorado already has a statewide infrastructure in place to respond to potential increases in referrals that could result from greater public awareness related to these trainings through the master's level ECMH consultants in the Community Mental Health Centers and Early Childhood Councils around the state. Goal 1: Increase community awareness of the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions in young children (0-8 years) and how to respond appropriately and safely, especially to tantrums, meltdowns, or other challenging or aggressive behaviors. We will accomplish this goal by training 700 diverse community members across the state over the course of five years (100 in year one and 150 in years 2-5). Trainings will be free and offered in both English and Spanish. Goal 2: Increase collaborative partnerships with relevant community agencies to facilitate referrals and coordination of services through the ECMH Consultants in Colorado's Community Mental Health Centers and Early Childhood Council located throughout the state.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
