FY 2023 Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children's Health (LAUNCH) - This project will promote the wellness of and improve outcomes for low-income children from birth to 8 years, by providing infant and early childhood mental health promotion, screening, referral, and treatment services for children and parents/caregivers, developing the workforce by training educators, clinicians, primary care providers, and community agencies that serve this population, and raising public awareness in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. ECDA has four goals for this work: 1. Improve outcomes and promote wellness for low-income infants and children, particularly those who have experienced trauma and who are at significant risk of developing, showing early signs of, or who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, through screening, early intervention, and caregiver support. 2. Increase the capacity of staff in primary care settings, educators, clinicians, schools, and community agencies to understand and address early social and emotional development, trauma's impact on development, and how to identify and address social,emotional, and behavioral concerns. 3. Strengthen collaboration between community organizations and public agencies that serve children 0-8. 4. Raise community awareness of early childhood development and ways to promote young child wellness. We have set the following outcomes for numbers to be served for this project: 1. Caregivers of 90 children annually (450 over life of project) will receive therapy and evidence-based mental health-related services, including infant massage, Child Parent Psychotherapy, Los Ninos Bien Educados, and Motivational Interviewing. 2. 175 individuals annually (875 total) will be screened for mental health or related intervention. 3. 150 individuals annually (750 total) will be referred to mental health or related services. 4. 128 (85%) of individuals annually (640 total) will access mental health or related services after referral. 5. Train 50 providers in primary care settings annually (250 total) in addressing child and caregiver behavioral health issues through screening, assessment, and referrals. 6. Train 460 people annually (2,300 total) in the mental health and early childhood education workforce, in child development, behavioral health screening, the impact of trauma on development and equity in early childhood education. 7. Conduct reflective groups and consultation for 150 early childhood educators, mental health providers, and other organizations serving children 0 to 5 annually (750 total). 8. 5 organizations annually (25 total) will collaborate, coordinate, or share resources with other organizations as a result of the award.
