The content below highlight Extension Children, Youth & Family Consortium's Scholar in residence activities focused on early childhood mental health.
Learn more about how mental wellness is important for young children and their families, and find teaching and learning resources to use in training and share with others.
Understanding and Responding to Challenging Behaviors in Young Children
Katherine Lingras, Ph.D., L.P., Asst. Professor, UMN Department of Psychiatry.
Attachment: Intervention and Treatment Models
Anne Gearity, Ph.D., LICSW, consultant and adjunct faculty at University of Minnesota; Denise B. Lacher, M.A., L.P., Therapist at Family Attachment and Counseling Center of Minnesota; Krista Nelson, LISCSW, LMFT Project Coordinator at Wilder Center for Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder; Deena McMahon, MSW, LICSW, Therapeutic Services Agency; and Tom Steinmetz, MA, Washburn Center for Children
Collaboration of ASD Services for Young Children & Families
Mary Hunt, M.A., NCSP, Minnesota School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team, Minnesota Department of Education and Pat Pulice, M.A., L.P., Fraser
Explore different approaches for early identification and intervention and ways to ensure needed ASD services collaborate together.
Erica Gerrity, LICSW, Project Director at Isis Rising
An Innovative Healthcare Strategy for Incarcerated Women — Learn about Erica Gerrity’s work with incarcerated pregnant mothers at the Shakopee Women's Prison in Minnesota, and her research on improving outcomes for children born of incarcerated mothers.
Promoting Child Well-Being and Early Childhood Intervention Within a Cultural Context
Brenda Jones Harden, Ph.D., University of Maryland; William Allen, Ph.D., Clinician at Healing Bonds; Lynn Lewis, Human Services Area Manager at Hennepin County; and Catherine Wright, M.S., Early Childhood Mental Health Program Coordinator at Minnesota Department of Human Services
Understand the experiences of young children at risk (African American children), consider the benefits of early intervention programs for this population, and explore cultural perspectives on early intervention for young children at risk.
Children’s mental health research to practice series
Michele Fallon, MSW, LICSW, IMH-E(IV)®, field associate at the Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota
Trauma happens: Introduction to the developmental impact of trauma and strategies for intervention — Review the underlying assumptions about trauma, and some strategies and considerations when working with young children who have experienced trauma.
Brain development and traumatic experience
Kathleen M. Thomas, Ph.D., associate professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota
Explore how trauma affects brain development for children in utero and beyond.
Evelyn Campbell, MSW, assistant professor at Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota Duluth
Get a summary of the historical trauma experienced by American Indian and African Americans in the United States, and how that trauma continues to affect those children and families.
Joe Reichle, Ph.D., professor and research director in the Leadership and Education Training Program in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, and Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
Establish early communicative skills: Augmentative communication practices with learners experiencing ASD — Explore different augmentative communicative practices that are used with learners with autism.
Brianna and Tanya: A case study about infant and early childhood mental health — Explore this case study which focuses on a young African American mother, her daughter from infancy through kindergarten, and the many influences on their lives.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma in young children — Learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences, what we know and don't know from the research, how they relate to trauma and other experiences, and how to promote resilience. Read a summary of this issue.
The impact of trauma on infants — Read this issue of the eReview, an online publication that integrates research and practice expertise to improve services and promote children’s mental health. Read a summary of the issue.
Learn about public health approaches that improve mental health for all children. Access the video and related discussion questions on Children’s mental health as a public health issue.
Early Childhood Mental Health annotated bibliography (pdf) — This list reflects recent and seminal journal articles related to infant and early childhood mental health.
Wonder Years: The Science of Early Childhood is a Science Museum of Minnesota exhibition. CYFC informed development of the exhibition and conducted research on how it communicates research information to policymakers.
Keep talking for language development video — Learn about the benefits of talking with kids.
Early relationships matter video — Explore how young children build strong relationships through play.
Brain development in early life video — Learn how brains develop rapidly in the first five years of life.
Piaget's mountains task video — Review how children see the world differently than adults.
What do babies see? video — Look through the eyes of an infant.
Poverty as a root cause of poor educational and mental health outcomes for young children (PDF) — Review characteristics of young children and their families in Head Start/Early Head Start programming and different layers of support to benefit them within an ecological framework.
Options for a responsive & accountable early childhood system in MN (PDF) — Explore this briefing report on the 2008 Minnesota Family Impact Seminar.
Presentation at children & nature brown bag series (PDF) — Get a summary of the Judy Meyers brown bag seminar of the MN Children & Nature Connection.
Reviewed in 2020