Infant Mental Health Related Resources and Links

Resources listed below represent just a few of the many national and policy sites that are concerned with promoting children’s healthy early relationships.

World Association for Infant Mental Health
WAIMH’s mission promotes education, research and the study of the effects of mental, emotional and social development during infancy on later normal and psychopathological development through international and interdisciplinary cooperation, publications, affiliate organizations, and through regional and biennial congresses devoted to scientific, educational and clinical work with infants and their caregivers

National Websites

Brazelton Touchpoints Center
The Brazelton Touchpoints Center offers innovative, strength-based interventions and practices to equip and engage families, caregivers, and practitioners across sectors to successfully support all domains of children’s development essential to successful early learning and lifelong success.  The Brazelton Touchpoints Center works in the U.S. and abroad with public agencies, non-profits, hospitals, home visitors, private practices, early childhood settings, tribal services, statewide initiatives, and professional training in institutions of higher education.  Touchpoint’s is a neuro-developmental, evidence-based approach to supporting healthy family functioning and optimal child development ages 0-6.

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Established in 2006 by director Jack P. Shonkoff. The founding mission was to generate, translate, and apply scientific knowledge that would close the gap between what we know and what we do to improve the lives of children facing adversity.  Includes National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.  The ultimate goal of the Council is to enhance development of children through the design and implementation of effective public and private policies and programs.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning
CSEFEL is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.  CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of Head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country.

Child Care and Early Education – Research Connections
Provides a continually updated, free, and searchable collection of research on child care and early education for researchers and policymakers.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC)
Head Start: An office of the Administration for Children and Families.  Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center.
The reauthorization the Head Start Act in 1994 made it possible to establish Early Head Start as a program to serve infants and toddlers and their families, and pregnant women and their families. Early Head Start provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income infants and toddlers and their families, and pregnant women and their families.

Federation of Families – for Children’s Mental Health
Serves to provide advocacy on the national level for the rights of children and youth; provide leadership and technical assistance to a nation-wide network of family-run organizations; collaborate with family-run and other child serving organizations to transform mental health care in America.

Maternal and Child Health Bureau – U.S. department of Health and Human Services
The mission of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) is to provide leadership , in partnership with key stakeholders, to improve the physical and mental health, safety and well-being of the maternal and child  health (MCH) population which includes all of the nation’s women, infants, children, adolescents and their families, including fathers and children with special health care needs.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
NAEYC is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting childhood practice, policy and research.  NAEYC is at the forefront own influencing local, state, and federal early childhood legislation, advocating for policies that reflect comprehensive approaches to providing equitable access to high-quality learning, with a particular focus on children living in poverty, multilingual children, children of color, and children with disabilities.

National Center for Children in Poverty -NCCP
NCCP is one of the nation’s leading public policy centers dedicated to promoting the economic security, health and well-being of America’s low-income families and children.  NCCP uses research to inform policies and practices with the goal of ensuring positive outcomes for the next generation.  We promote family oriented solutions at the state and national levels.

National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations NCPMI
The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation and fostering inclusion.

National Head Start Association
The National Head Start Association is a nonprofit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life.  NHSA’s vision is to lead and to advocate – to work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure that all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed.  NHSA’s mission is to coalesce, inspire, and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education.

Talaris Research Institute
Talaris is a nonprofit Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) dedicated to advancing knowledge of early brain development.  Their research is focused on children from birth to age five.  They sponsor scientific studies on early brain and behavioral development and translate the research findings into useful tools and information for parents, caregivers, educators, healthcare and business professional.

ZERO TO THREE
Zero to Three’s mission is to promote healthy development of our nation’s infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities and all those who work on their behalf.  The organization is dedicated to advancing current knowledge; promoting beneficial policies and practices; communicating research and best practices to a wide variety of audiences; and providing training, technical assistance and leadership development

Policy Websites

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
AAP is a national organization of 64,000 pediatricians committed to the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc
A national policy research institute that, for nearly 50 years, has been at the forefront of assessing the effectiveness of policies and programs to improve public well-being.

National Academy of State Health Policy ( NASHP)
NASHP is dedicated to helping states achieve excellence in health policy and practice.  A nonprofit and non partisan organization, NASHP provides a forum for constructive work across branches and agencies of state government on critical health issues.

National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)
NIEER conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children.  The institute offers independent, research-based advice and technical assistance to policymakers, journalists, researchers and educators.
Maine and the Northeast

The Infant-Parent Training Institute (IPTI) Boston
IPTI is the leading institution in New England offering integrated clinical and theoretical training in infant mental health.  We provide training to professionals from multiple disciplines including social work, psychology, counseling, psychiatry, pediatrics, early education/child care, nursing, and allied health fields.  Training with IPTI will allow you to integrate the core concepts of early relational development and intervention into your work whether in direct care, supervision/consultation or teaching and policy.
Specific to this service: https://www.jfcsboston.org/Our-Services/Center-for-Early-Relationship-Support/Infant-Parent-Training-Institute
It is part of Jewish Family and Children’s Services Boston

Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN)
Maine Aces is part of a national social network that accelerates the global movement toward recognizing the impact of adverse childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior and health and reforming all communities and institutions – from schools to prisons to hospitals and churches – to help heal and develop resilience rather than to continue to traumatize already traumatized people.

Canada

Infant Mental Health Promotion (IMHP)
A coalition of professional representatives from service agencies dedicated to promoting optimal outcomes for infants (prenatal to 36 months) in collaboration with families and other caregivers.   The mission of this organization is to develop and promote best practices for infant mental health through education, advocacy and collaboration with families, professionals and the communities which influence the lives of infants and young children in Canada.