About Us

Early Childhood

Mental Health

Consultation

Lessons Learned From

A Pilot Project in Arkansas

The purpose of the Arkansas Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation pilot project is to facilitate collaboration between Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC’s) and early childcare programs.

In 2005, the Department of Human Services/Division of Childcare and Early Childhood Education funded three CMHC’s to serve as pilot sites, and to partner with at least three childcare programs in their region. While the specific activities differ somewhat from site to site, each pilot site is working to enhance the capacity of childcare centers/teachers and parents to prevent and manage mental health problems in children, and to improve the outcomes of children enrolled in the collaborating childcare. Some of the activities include teacher training and consultation, screening children for behavioral concerns, making referrals for individual mental health services, helping facilitate small and large group classroom activities to promote healthy social and emotional development, working with parents, and collaborating with local colleges and universities to offer training opportunities to students.

Our hope is that this pilot project will lead to long term collaborations and alliances between mental health professionals and early childhood programs throughout Arkansas.

Partners include;

Ozark Guidance Center

Rachel Harrod
Phone: (479)841-0650
Email: rachel.harrod@ozarkguidance.org