Mental Health Consultation and Education

Policy

Head Start of Lane County contracts with mental health providers in the community to provide a regular schedule of on-site consultation. Services provided include group and individual training, education, and consultation for parents and staff on children’s social and emotional development and child/family mental health.

Procedures for Mental Health Site Visits/Consultation

Each site will receive monthly mental health visits/consultations. Our largest sites (Grand Street) will receive twice monthly site visits. Additional site visits/consultation may be requested based on the needs of parents, children, or staff. The first of these visits will occur by the end of October.
Families will be asked for consent for mental health consultation at their intake appointment.
The ECE coordinator or EHS specialist will confirm the schedule for on-site mental health visits with the contracted provider at the beginning of the school year.
The ECE coordinator will post the site consultation schedule at each site so that families can access the Mental Health Consultant/Specialist. If the scheduled times are not convenient for parents/guardians, additional site visits can be provided to meet those needs.
The ECE coordinator will schedule the use of the mental health providers’ time for each of their site visits. The schedule will be based upon the needs of families and staff.

Procedures for Individual Child Consultation

Staff or parents can request, with parent permission, an individual mental health observation for a child.
1. The ECE coordinator will document the referral as a “staff consultation” transaction in the Mental Health Domain of Child Plus.
2. The ECE coordinator will communicate with the mental health provider about what type of services are being requested (i.e. observation, staffing, or other) based on the input provided by staff and parents/guardians. The ECE and mental health provider will schedule a date for this service.
3. The Mental Health provider will share written or verbal feedback and recommendations to the classroom teachers and ECE Coordinator who will document the information in the Observations tab of the Mental Health domain in Child Plus. DST or ECEC will communicate with the family about the observation/report. Follow up with family will be documented on the Transaction tab in the notes related to the staff consultation request.
4. In consultation with parents, DST, ECE coordinator, and RM will staff the recommendations made and decide how to proceed.

Procedures for Staff Consultation

Contracted providers may also consult with Staff during the scheduled on-site time if they would like consultation around mental health issues effecting families. Examples of topics that may be discussed include but are not limited to:
1. Past or present Domestic Violence
2. Child or Family Mental Health Concerns
3. Child Sexual Abuse/inappropriate touching
4. How to continue to provide the best services when feeling “triggered” (i.e. event or interaction that precipitates negative and/or pervasive thoughts and feelings that are either conscious or unconscious)

Procedures for Mental Health Education Opportunities for Families

HSOLC staff will provide information to each family about the stages of child development including behavior and temperament during the ASQ: SE conversation or as needed. Behavior and temperament information can be found on the portal for staff to access for families.
Families will be given information and referrals for mental health training and classes in the community as needed.

REVIEWED: September 2024

Updated September 2008, June, 2009, August 2009. July 2010, September, 2010. August 2012. September 2024