Specifications include, but are not limited to: Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) is a relationship-based approach to early childhood preventive mental health. ECMH services promote the wellness of young children through developing the capacity of the child, from birth up to their eighth birthday, to form close and secure adult and peer relationships; to experience, manage, and express the full range of emotions; to explore their environment; and to learn in all contexts of the family/caregiver, community, and culture. ECMH provides a developmental foundation and helps prevent or mitigate mental health challenges, while building the capacity of young children and their adult caregivers to promote healthy social and emotional development that prepares young children to thrive at home and beyond. This program is designed to provide early intervention support services, including: • Outreach, consultation, and education, • Case management/brokerage, and • Mental health and other appropriate referrals. ECMH services are community-based outpatient mental health services and supports designed to identify the early signs of potential mental illnesses and prevent them from becoming severe and disabling. ECMH services are provided in close collaboration with parents/caregivers and other significant adults in the child’s life. Early intervention may include engaging and providing parents/caretakers with consultation on the foundation of children’s social and emotional development, and linking to appropriate services and resources. • ECMH services may interface across systems, such as schools, child care centers, early learning centers, and Parks and Recreation Departments. • ECMH service can target the child, with the family/caregiver and child together, or target the whole family. • ECMH early intervention services through this RFP will be provided for a minimum of six months, and shall not exceed eighteen months without prior written approval from by ACBH. The overarching goals of this program is to prevent or mitigate the impact of mental illness and to make referrals and linkages to other programs, depending on the needs of the children and families. Specifically, the program should be designed to accomplish the following goals: • Increase child’s social-emotional skills; • Increase child’s bond with their parents and caregivers; • Improve child’s behavior at home and other settings; • Increase parents’ and caregivers’ behavioral health literacy and help-seeking behavior; • Reduce the negative impacts that mental health challenges can have on a child’s wellbeing; • Reduce stigma associated with mental illness and seeking help; • Increase access to culturally responsive and strength-based, mental health services; • Build individual, community and organizational capacity, knowledge, and skills that contribute to the prevention of mental health disorders; • Prevent mental health issues from becoming severe and disabling; and • Increase timely access to related information, services, and support. Clients must be between birth and their eighth birthday and have or be eligible for Full-Scope Medi-Cal. In certain limited instances, ACBH may approve services for children age eight or older. The parent/caregiver must be actively engaged in the services, upon the initial screening by the selected provider. The engagement of the parent/ caregiver during services is a requirement, and critical to the success of the program. The selected provider, therefore, must consider the parent/caregiver as part of the scope of services, and refer them to services, including mental health and/or substance use disorder services, as determined appropriate. Clients shall be referred through various health, education, community, and social service agencies such as pediatricians, nurses, social workers, community agencies, community health clinics, Early Head Start programs, schools, public health workers, day care programs, intra-agency programs, family/caregivers, other family members, teachers, family resource centers, community-based organizations, places of worship, shelters, and/or other public entities. While physical location of the program may be located in one or more areas, the services shall be available to individuals living in all areas of Alameda County, wherever there are children and families that may benefit from the program.
