Illinois Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant Project

Since 2008, the project has funded mental health consultants (MHCs) who provide training, infant and early childhood mental health consultation, and referrals to enhance the capacity of mental health providers, child care providers and home visitors. Initially, the MHCs were employed by just a select number of local mental health providers, Healthy Families Illinois, or social service agencies at various project sites across the state that were identified as ready to support this service. Now, consultation is available throughout the state.

Since 2012, the federally funded Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Project, in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development, has included mental health consultation to thirteen Illinois communities. In addition to these 13 communities, infant and early childhood mental health consultation is offered to 41 other home visiting programs through a depression prevention curriculum training, and consultation to support that work. In 2013, the ICMHP released a report, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation to Home Visiting Programs Model, which provides a review of the stages of program development, role descriptions and lessons learned.

Updated May 2020