Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

Early Childhood System of Care Community of Practice Call
3/14/06, 2:30 ET

Discussion with Sarah Hoover

Featured Presenter: Sarah Hoover, PD of Project Bloom in Colorado

Project Bloom is the second community focused on early childhood. It is in its 4 th year. Project Bloom works in four communities in Colorado; the communities are geographically diverse (rural, urban, suburban, and frontier). There is a common framework throughout, but 4 different communities.

Lessons learned (three categories):

Partnerships (system, community, youth and family)

Allies in Early Childhood Systems Grants --> helped to develop strong partnerships with child advocacy organizations, family organizations, etc.
Project Bloom worked with Part C at the State and local levels. Part C and SOC have been able to support one another and work collaboratively.
They struggled initially about what youth involvement means for early childhood SOCs. They are now feeling much more comfortable. Three main strategies:
- Work with parents that are teenagers who have children under the age of 6, particularly those with SED. Help put supports in place for teen parents.
- Also, support groups for siblings of young children with SED; partner with organizations doing “sib shops.”
- Involve youth in planning and advocacy brainstorming

Services and supports

The mandated service list included some items that were not relevant for young children (e.g. transitions to adulthood). Project Bloom worked with SAMHSA to get these revised.

Systems work

In process of creating a sustainability tool kit for mental health consultation in child care
Wraparound is the planning process used in Project Bloom --> they are now running into questions about whether Wraparound is as effective with early childhood as it is with older children --> they are looking at whether elements of wraparound (values and principles) are in other planning processes.
Discussions about diagnoses in young children: goal is to have the DC 0-3 recognized (rather than ongoing use of a crosswalk with DSM-IV). Using DC 0-3 has made diagnosis in young children more comfortable, but it hasn’t solved all problems (e.g. still stigma by labeling children).

Products developed: (can be downloaded through the TAP Early Childhood Page)

Screening paper – looked at the different environments where screening can been done and the tools that would be most effective in each of those environments.
Policy Brief: “Understanding Children’s Mental Health” – created for policymakers, as well as for families and advocates
“ABC’s” – 2-pager for families to understand what they should look for in terms of healthy child development

Final Comments:

Looking at sustainability was critical from day one—and it really looks different for early childhood sites.

Questions and Answers

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	Early Childhood System of Care Community of Practice Call 3/14/06, 2:30 ET Discussion with Sarah Hoover Featured Presenter: Sarah Hoover, PD of Project Bloom in Colorado Project Bloom is the second community focused on early childhood. It is in its 4 th year. Project Bloom works in four communities in Colorado; the communities are geographically diverse (rural, urban, suburban, and frontier). There is a common framework throughout, but 4 different communities. Lessons learned (three categories): Partnerships (system, community, youth and family) Allies in Early Childhood Systems Grants --> helped to develop strong partnerships with child advocacy organizations, family organizations, etc. Project Bloom worked with Part C at the State and local levels. Part C and SOC have been able to support one another and work collaboratively. They struggled initially about what youth involvement means for early childhood SOCs. They are now feeling much more comfortable. Three main strategies: Work with parents that are teenagers who have children under the age of 6, particularly those with SED. Help put supports in place for teen parents. Also, support groups for siblings of young children with SED; partner with organizations doing “sib shops.” Involve youth in planning and advocacy brainstorming Services and supports The mandated service list included some items that were not relevant for young children (e.g. transitions to adulthood). Project Bloom worked with SAMHSA to get these revised. Systems work In process of creating a sustainability tool kit for mental health consultation in child care Wraparound is the planning process used in Project Bloom --> they are now running into questions about whether Wraparound is as effective with early childhood as it is with older children --> they are looking at whether elements of wraparound (values and principles) are in other planning processes. Discussions about diagnoses in young children: goal is to have the DC 0-3 recognized (rather than ongoing use of a crosswalk with DSM-IV). Using DC 0-3 has made diagnosis in young children more comfortable, but it hasn’t solved all problems (e.g. still stigma by labeling children). Products developed: (can be downloaded through the TAP Early Childhood Page) Screening paper – looked at the different environments where screening can been done and the tools that would be most effective in each of those environments. Policy Brief: “Understanding Children’s Mental Health” – created for policymakers, as well as for families and advocates “ABC’s” – 2-pager for families to understand what they should look for in terms of healthy child development Final Comments: Looking at sustainability was critical from day one—and it really looks different for early childhood sites. Questions and Answers