61st Annual Meeting

October 18 - 25, 2014

Other Programs (sold out)

Clinical Practicum: Early Childhood Mental Health: Identifying and Treating Developmental, Social, and Emotional Problems Before the Age of 5

The objective of this year’s Clinical Practicum is to familiarize clinicians with the 8 foundations of social and emotional development, how the early childhood mental health (ECMH) system of care was developed in San Diego, how young children with developmental problems are identified and linked to appropriate services, and how to apply these concepts to your own practice. Attendees observe clinical assessments and treatments of children identified with complex presentations related to medical, developmental, mental health, and family stress problems. Attendees learn about and observe the differences between multidisciplinary treatment teams and transdisciplinary treatment teams.

Because of what we know about brain development, the importance of the earliest relationships, and the effects of exposure to drugs, alcohol, and trauma, early identification and treatment of children and families at risk of serious mental health problems is of the utmost importance.  

A great deal of knowledge has been developed over the past 20 years related to neurobiological development of children, the impact of neglect and trauma on young children, and the consequences related to problems in regulating emotion and developing relationships. Multiple treatment interventions have been developed and studied that help us intervene in a very effective manner in order to restore function, facilitate development, and provide hope for families of children with early developmental and mental health difficulties.