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, 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 project has included mental health consultation in six sites across the state. In 2013, the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership 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.