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Trainings/Conferences
On-line Resouces
An independent forum with news, programs, research, events, legislation, theory, and opinion on education, health, welfare, and justice for California's 10 million children
Focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5
Research and message development on child and family mental health Promoting the health and development of infants and toddlers Building awareness and understanding of sensory processing disorders through education and collaboration Helping parents, teachers and health professionals to proactively manage the challenging behaviors of the 21st century child |
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Meeting Information
Next Meeting: Tuesday October 9, 2012 8:30 to 10:30 A.M. Blood Source Community Room Presentation: Infant Mental Health- Holly Pearson |
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 California Center for Infant-Family
and Early Childhood Mental Health
The California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health has reached an exciting milestone! One hundred individuals are now endorsed as infant-family and/or early childhood mental health professionals in California! That means 100 individuals have demonstrated the clinical experience, reflective practice facilitation and key concept and competency knowledge that qualifies them to be endorsed as:
- Transdisciplinary Mental Health Practitioners
- Advanced Transdisciplinary Mental Health Practitioners
- Mental Health Specialists
Individuals are endorsed with either infant-family (birth to age 3), early childhood (ages 3 to 5) or both infant-family and early childhood (birth to age 5) specialties. To find endorsed professionals in your county, click here. To learn more about becoming endorsed, go here.
In addition, the California Center is pleased to announce a new feature on the California Center website. In response to requests from the early childhood mental health field for a central source for reflective practice facilitation opportunities, the California Center created and launched a dedicated web page to explore reflective practice facilitation opportunities throughout the state.
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 Early Childhood Trauma
Early childhood trauma generally refers to the traumatic experiences that occur to children aged 0-6. Because infants' and young children's reactions may be different from older children's, and because they may not be able to verbalize their reactions to threatening or dangerous events, many people assume that young age protects children from the impact of traumatic experiences. When young children experience or witness a traumatic event, sometimes adults say, "They're too young to understand, so it's probably better if we don't talk to them about it." However, young children are affected by traumatic events, even though they may not understand what happened.
A growing body of research has established that young children-even infants-may be affected by events that threaten their safety or the safety of their parents/caregivers, and their symptoms have been well documented. These traumas can be the result of intentional violence-such as child physical or sexual abuse, or domestic violence-or the result of natural disaster, accidents, or war. Young children also may experience traumatic stress in response to painful medical procedures or the sudden loss of a parent/caregiver. This information is available in a printable PDF document courtesy of the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.
Trauma, Patterns, and Very Young Children in Foster Care
The traumatic experiences of very young children in foster care are discussed, and the neurological patterns that developed as a result of this trauma are explained in this article by Diane Kukulis, published in The Infant Crier (p. 9-12). The need for practitioners to explore these patterns to "be with" the young children and their families is emphasized and practitioners are urged to help caregivers and children to hold feelings that arise and to co-regulate with them.
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 Brown Signs Child Abuse, Domestic Violence Bills
Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed bills that will make it a crime for coaches and computer technicians to fail to report suspected child abuse and child pornography.
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 Elections Matter
There are several propositions on the November 6 general election ballot that will have a great impact on children and families in our community. We encourage you to examine these propositions, determine how they will affect your family, and cast your ballots in November.
Some useful resources are:
Voter registration deadline for the November 6 election is October 22, 2012. You can register to vote on-line, or you can pick up an application at your county elections office, any Department of Motor Vehicles office, and many post offices, public libraries, and government offices. To have a paper application mailed to you call your county elections office or the Secretary of State's toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE.
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Workshops, Conferences and Other Resources
A Train the Trainer Mandated Reporter training session takes place in Chico October 4th. This training will cover all the new laws. Only 50 participants, so register now. For more information contact: Margie Ruegger at 899-3318. Details and agenda here.
New Leaf Treatment Center's CIM production team is pleased to formally invite you to their Craving Identification Management Training of Facilitators (TOF) October 8th and 9th, 2012.. The training is based on New Leaf's Craving Identification and Management (CIM) Curriculum, which was designed to be used by parents, educators, community organizers, church leaders, therapists, doctors, or anyone who wants to assist addicts, alcoholics, or those at risk for addiction. Details here.
The Center for Regional and Continuing Education at CSU, Chico is offering a Domestic Violence Update symposium Friday, November 9th, 2012. Click here for details and registration information.
The Up Close and Personal Workshop Series at the Live Oak Center for Psychotherapy and Education, located in El Dorado Hills, California, are professional development seminars for MFT, LCSW, and other mental health workers. Our small workshops allow close conversation with dynamic teachers in a comfortable and homey setting. Most offer continuing education (both CEU and CE) credits.
The Children's Mental Health Network is a national alliance between communities, practitioners, families, agencies, alumni of system of care communities, and individuals that seek to share information, keep in touch, advocate for children's mental health issues, and offer experience-based consultation and education to those interested in promoting the concept of systems of care.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. For three decades, NAMI has established itself as the most formidable grassroots mental health advocacy organization in the country. Dedication, steadfast commitment and unceasing belief in NAMI's mission by grassroots advocates have produced profound changes.
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Gloria Balch, Deputy Director