Mental Health Referrals for Children and Families
This resource has tips for finding mental health providers, developing partnerships with them, and referring children and families to their services.
Mental Health Consultation
Mental health consultation (MHC) is an evidence-based approach that pairs mental health professionals with people who work with young children and their families.
Explore these resources to learn about MHC, including how to choose and use a consultant and deliver effective MHC services.
Hiring, Job Descriptions, and Contracts
Learn how to develop job descriptions and contracts for mental health consultants.
Implementing Effective Mental Health Consultation Toolkit
This toolkit helps Head Start administrators develop and implement a multidisciplinary approach to mental health and mental health consultation.
Understanding Mental Health Consultation in Head Start Programs
Use this resource to learn more about mental health consultation and how to find a consultant who meets your Head Start program’s unique needs.
Foundations of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Learn important information about the foundations of infant and early childhood mental health consultation in this course available on the Individualized Professional Development (iPD) Portfolio.
How Mental Health Consultants Support Child Care Programs
Infant and early childhood mental health consultants work with the adults in children’s lives to support social-emotional development. Learn how a child care program can benefit from working with a mental health consultant.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Information for Families
This tip sheet for families explores how mental health consultants help adults build strong relationships with children. Consultants can help families address concerns about children's social-emotional development.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Engaging with Families
Explore how infant and early childhood mental health consultants can use this resource to guide their family engagement work with early childhood professionals and families.
1302.45 Supports for mental health and well-being.
Head Start programs must use a multidisciplinary approach to support a program-wide culture that promotes children’s mental health, social and emotional well-being, and overall health and safety.
Facilitating a Referral for Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families
Head Start program staff are required to work in partnership with families to ensure they have access to any needed mental health services. This brief is designed to: (1) provide guidance for Head Start program staff to identify mental health providers who best meet a family's needs, culture, and personality, and (2) offer ideas to overcome access barriers.