Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is a young child’s capacity to:

experience, regulate, and express emotions
form close and secure relationships
explore the environment and learn

DECAL is working with other child serving state agencies and community organizations to build an Early Childhood System of Care that promotes coordinated policy and collaborative service delivery to support the many young children with (or at risk for) social, emotional and behavioral health needs and to promote healthy social and emotional development for all children.

The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Task Force was established in February 2021 to carry out recommendations from the Georgia Legislative House Study Committee on Infant and Toddler Social Emotional Health. The group serves as a cross-agency collaborative focused on early child mental health policy, finance, workforce development and promotion/prevention efforts to support infant and early childhood mental health in Georgia.

We all have a role in promoting children’s mental health and wellness through strong connections and supportive and nurturing relationships. Early relational health, or how children form relationships with their caregivers, is the foundation of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and we hope this shareable video represents the opportunity that all adults can establish safe and secure relationships with children. Will you be the one to make a difference in a child’s life today?

For more information please contact Laura Lucas, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Director: Laura.lucas@decal.ga.gov

Georgia Association of Infant Mental Health

Check out the Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health (GA-AIMH) to learn more about Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health local resources and training opportunities: https://aimh.gsu.edu/

Save the date – Children’s Mental Health Week 2025 is May 5-9

View Resources from Children’s Mental Health Week 2024 here.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Resource Information:

For Early Childhood Educators:
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: https://www.nctsn.org/
- Resources for children/families that have experienced trauma: https://piploproductions.com/
- Brain Science: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-early-childhood-mental-health-video/
- Vanderbilt Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/strategies.html
- Free your Feels Educator Resources: https://www.freeyourfeels.org/educator-resources
- CDC – Learn the Signs. Act Early: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/ccp/early-care-and-education.html
- DECAL SEEDS Webinar Series: http://www.decal.ga.gov/InstructionalSupports/SEEDSWebinarSeries.aspx
- Developmental Stages of Social Emotional Development in Children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534819/
For Parents/Families:
- Sesame Street in Communities Website: https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/
- Children’s Health Care of Atlanta, Strong for Life Emotional Wellness Resources: https://www.strong4life.com/en/emotional-wellness
- Free your Feels Parent Resources: https://www.freeyourfeels.org/parent-resources
- CDC- Learn the Signs. Act Early: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/index.html
- Sesame Street Recognizing Big Feelings
- Language Skills by Age
- Emotion Board
- Search for services in your area: https://findhelpga.org/
For Policy Makers/Advocates:
- IECMH State Issue Brief #2
- Home visiting supports IECMH
- IECMH State Issue Brief #1
- Zero to Three – Basics of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, A Briefing Paper
- Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Health Legislative Study Committee Presentations: https://www.house.ga.gov/Committees/en-US/InfantandToddlerSocialandEmotionalHealth.aspx
- Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Health Legislative Study Committee Final Report and Recommendations
- IECMH in other states: https://www.nccp.org/prism-project/
- Workforce Development: https://www.allianceaimh.org/early-childhood-mental-health-requirementsguidelines
- Center of Excellence in Children’s Behavioral Health, Georgia State University: IECMH Systems and Supports Developing the Workforce
- IECMH Policy Tool Kit: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/2195-think-babies-infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health-resource-list
- The Georgia System of Care State Plan also has many recommendations around early childhood mental health and can be found here: https://gacoeonline.gsu.edu/files/2021/02/SOC-State-Plan-2020-Final_02.12.21.pdf
- Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS): https://geears.org/research/resources/