The MHAYC Provider Spotlight series supports providers implement MHAYC at their organizations. Each spotlight will focus on different part of MHAYC process and highlight organizations using it. 

TOMORROW! October 24, 2024 | 11 a.m. to noon: Four providers from different regions will share about how they approach the assessment process with families of young children. They’ll cover how they structure sessions, use the DC:0-5 framework, make observations, and include cultural considerations. Please note that this session will not be recorded.  

The following professional development opportunities are provided at no-cost by the IECMH-WC, and they are open to providers who serve children and families enrolled in Apple Health.  

October 29 AND November 18 | 8 a.m. to noon | Virtual. The Brief Early Relational Assessment (B-ERA) is a method of joining with parents in assessing their relationship with their child. This training will support mental health professionals in using the B-ERA as part of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Participants must be able to attend both sessions. Participants can receive a print copy of the B-ERA manual and CEUs at no cost.

The People Powered Workforce project is a state initiative aimed at expanding, diversifying, training, and retaining the infant and early childhood mental health workforce in Washington State. They are holding focus groups for direct service providers and administrators (program directors, supervisors, etc.) to help inform the strategy. 

Each focus group has two sessions, and participants must be able to attend both sessions. Participants will receive a $100 gift card after attending each session ($200 total). There are multiple focus group scheduled this fall and winter, including affinity focus groups for Tribal, male, Black/African American, Spanish-speaking, and BIPOC individuals, as well as those working in behavioral health, home visiting, and Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT). Please note that each provider can only sign up for one focus group. 

The Barnard Center for Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health is starting another Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) Learning Collaborative. CPP is an evidence-based practice for mental health treatment for children ages 0-5 and their caregiver(s). 

If you are a provider and want to learn more or join, attend the virtual open house. There are two options: 

• December 5 | 11 a.m. to noon 

• December 10 | 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.  

The Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative was established in 2011 to identify and recommend best-practice, evidence-based approaches for important health care services (ESHB 1311). HCA uses Bree Collaborative recommendations to guide state policies for Medicaid, and the Public Employees Benefits Board Program, and other programs. 

Recently, the Bree Collaborative identified perinatal behavioral health as a priority improvement area and convened a workgroup to develop evidence-informed standards. The workgroup met from January 2023 to January 2024. Several HCA staff, including  Teresa Eltrich, Andrea Estes, Beth Tinker, Ashley Piña, and Sarah Pine, were members of the workgroup.  

The workgroup reviewed existing guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), available evidence, and expert opinion to develop their guidelines for a variety of audiences on five key focus areas: 

• Education and communication, 

• Integrated behavioral health, 

• Care coordination, 

• Community linkages to social programs, and 

• Expanded team roles 

The final report also includes key considerations for working with American Indian/Alaska Native families and providing culturally humble care, as well as statewide and local resources that can support families in the perinatal period.