Project Description:
Last year, focus was on building the case for infant/early childhood mental health challenges in Indiana. We had just had our first summit when I applied and the focus after that first summit was to gather all existing data related to infant/early childhood mental health and share it in a simple way to show the mental health challenges that young children and their families face. We completed a report that achieved that as well as a series of webinars that highlighted the findings of the report and featured programs designed to address some of the challenges (that many professionals were not familiar with).
Building on the success of that report and a second summit where this data was shared and discussed with a diverse group of stakeholders (including legislators), this year I would like to specifically address some of the gaps that became apparent from Year 1. The existing data from needs assessments and databases is deficit-based. We are not measuring what is going well, we are not gathering data when relationships are strong, etc. Except for a few data points on how frequently families are reading with children, our data paints a bleak picture. While we need data on challenges to convince people there is a problem, we also need to recognize the power of hope and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) to address that problem. To that end, I propose doing a series of 3 webinars on PCEs and hope. As part of that series, I will share data from two pilots in the state that are gathering data on positive variables for the first time. One pilot will use the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) and one is using the Hope Framework (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) as an intervention. I think adding strength-based data to the picture will move the discussion from acknowledging there is a problem to a focus on solutions. I believe this continuation addresses pillars 1 & 3, as I will be working across organizations to gather data and share information and I will be attempting to promote information about early childhood mental health.
With additional funding, if available, I propose to address two more gaps that stakeholders at the summit highlighted. One, our data is mainly quantitative and comes mainly filtered through professionals. We do not have the family voice represented. What happens when a family experiences mental health challenges in early childhood? What solutions do they attempt? What barriers do they face? What do they wish professionals understood? To that end, I propose identifying 10-20 families with young children who have experienced preschool suspension and/or expulsion. We have limited data on the use of this procedure in Indiana, but we know it happens and it happens inequitably. We will develop a semi-structured interview format and gather qualitative data based on family stories. This will add to our understanding of the problem and support our advocacy work as we humanize the issue for legislators and other who do not work directly with families.
The 2nd gap identified by stakeholders at our summit this year was the continued need to network across systems. These summits have been the first opportunities that professionals have had to come together across home visiting programs, mental health and addictions, early intervention, community/neighborhood supports, etc. and discuss this issue. Professionals want more of this. To that end, I proposed delivering another 4 webinars that highlight existing interventions that most professionals have likely not been exposed to. This will provide them with opportunities to cross-pollinate as well as give them new resources and ideas to take back to their own teams. As I did last time, I will create accompanying, shorter, social media posts that deliver similar content in a more relatable, simpler way for those who consume information in that way, including families.
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances
