To the Regional Service Providers (and those working to decide which organization in their region will be the RSP)

It’s spring! As we approach the end of this biennium, we want to thank you for all the time you have invested into planning for successful implementation of IECMH Consultation. The last year has been filled with meetings, planning, budgeting, community listening, more meetings, and more listening. It’s a lot. And we see you. We know this is just a fraction of the important work each of you is committed to! The ORIMHA Team is confident that all your thinking and planning will pay off and result in more impactful IECMH Consultation with increased support for teachers & providers leading to better outcomes for infants, young children, and families across Oregon. So, Thank You!!

Important Information and Updates

Hiring Resources Updated

Interview questions and scoring rubric resources have been updated! You can download them from here. And don’t forget that Tobiah (tobiah@or-imha.org) and Nichole (nichole@or-imha.org) are available to talk with you about your hiring process and/or participate on your interview panels. And a huge thanks to the Early Adopter RSPs who helped us refine the questions!

What is the difference between child-focused, classroom-focused, and program-focused in the proposed Oregon model of IECMH Consultation?

Child-Focused: Generally, this type is needed when a specific child’s behavior is of concern to the provider. The IECMH Consultant’s role in this situation is to support the provider and collaborate with them to develop an individualized plan for the child. The plan is intended to help the provider address the behavior and support the child’s infant / early childhood mental health. Despite the name, this is still an intervention provided to the provider, not to the child.

Classroom-Focused: In this situation, the IECMH Consultant works with a provider to increase the level of social-emotional support for all the children in the class / setting. This is also a service directly with the provider in which the IECMH Consultant observes, models, and offers resources. The approach is collaborative, reflective, supportive, and provider-centered.

Program-Focused: Sometimes, it is the center directors and administrators who receive support from the IECMH Consultant. In this scenario, the focus may be on policies and procedures to benefit all children and adults in the program / setting.

Series on Reflective Supervision/Consultation from Tobiah Brown

Hi all! I am so impressed with the sheer amount of work and commitment that you all have poured into this project. From the outside (as I am not a parent) I want to say thank you. You demonstrate a care for children and families that is profound and to be celebrated!

To get back to reflective consultation- I want to introduce the rhythm of time. As you are looking at hiring and onboarding these new consultants I encourage you to build time into the process. Not everyone will be starting from the same block. That is ok. The work needed to be competent to engage in interactions with providers can be arduous.

Some things to break down here- competency. I am defining this as readiness to 1) represent your program with integrity and fidelity, 2) to interface with providers with a level of confidence and depth that is (actually) helpful for the providers.

To get consultants to this level ORIMHA’s Mentor Consultants will be working with them 1:1, and in groups. The 1:1 sessions will be a sort of monitoring. We will be building relationship and co-constructing readiness for providing IECMH consultation services. This includes really taking the time to determine what readiness means for each IECMH consultant, so that they are confident in their ability to support providers and contribute to this environment of health and vibrancy that we are trying to build for families in Oregon.

Part of this sense of readiness is on you. You all have an onboarding protocol that you will take consultants through. At completion they will be ready to work within your organization. We also are working on an onboarding experience that will provide that sense of assurance for consultants to go out and ‘do the work.’

I (Tobiah) will introduce this on Thursday at the COP. I will be bringing a work in progress to you to let you know what we are thinking and how we are thinking to go about it. Also to solicit feedback. This is especially true for early adopters whom we (the indomitable 3) will be meeting with to really dig into and cocraft an onboarding experience that meets needs, and nurtures development in hopes of securing some longevity of these consultants both with your organizations and with your regional providers. .

One reason I am presenting this in this way is to overtly engage in the practice of DEI. With current federal reconfigurations of acceptable language as tied to funding, I am reminded that the work we do is a practice that extends beyond a dictionary of terms. It’s a relationship that we engage in together.

Looking forward

Tobiah

Save the Dates

We are all eagerly anticipating our time together April 30-May 2 at Brasada Ranch! The goal is to engage in productive work time, review and celebrate the progress made, and learn & reflect on bringing equity and inclusion into our work on behalf of little ones, their caregivers, and their families. The first half (Agenda A) is intended for the leaders of the RSPs. We hope all the Agenda A participants will stay and be joined by some of your community partners for the second half (Agenda B). Click here to learn more of what you can expect.

Upcoming events:

Thu April 3: Virtual CoP from 9-11a
Wed April 29-Fri May 2: In person gathering at Brasada Ranch (see agenda above)
Thu June 5: Virtual CoP from 9-11a

Big Picture

Why do we require reflective consultation for IECMH Consultants? Why is IECMH Consultation centered around building the reflective capacity of teachers and caregivers? This:

Resources

Here’s an excellent 20-minute video from Dr. Walter Gilliam, Executive Director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska talking about the impact of exclusionary practices in early education and childcare settings

The Impact of Suspension & Expulsion in Child Care

Your IECMH Consultation Implementation Support Team,

Nichole Paradis, nichole@or-imha.org

Sondra Stegenga, sondra.stegenga@utah.edu

Erin Kinavey Wennerstrom, erin@or-imha.org