Kentucky's Early Childhood Mental Health Program (ECMHP) was established in state fiscal year 2003 as a component of a large, statewide early childhood development initiative, Kentucky Invests in Developing Success NOW (KIDS NOW). Programs created under KIDS NOW fit within three broad areas: assuring maternal and child health; supporting families; and enhancing early care and education. Many of the programs have been sustained and are administered by a variety of state agencies.​

The ECMHP is co-administered by the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) and the Department for Public Health (DPH) through a Memorandum of Agreement. In turn, DBHDID contracts with the 14 Regional Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) for program implementation.

The overarching goal of ECMHP is to build regional capacity to effectively identify and respond to the mental health needs of children aged birth through age five in behavioral health provider agencies, early care and education settings, and other programs and initiatives that serve very young children and their families. This is accomplished through three primary activities:

• Program and child-level consultation on social, emotional, and behavioral issues to programs that serve children from birth through age 5.
• Training for groups who work with young children facing social, emotional, and behavioral needs. These groups include early care and education employees, families, and child-serving agencies.
• Evaluation, assessment, and therapeutic services for children from birth through age 5 and their families.
  

Each regional CMHC employs an Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist dedicated solely to advancing their regional ECMH programs through the three activities listed above, with the goal of strengthening the mental health of young children (birth to age five) and their families.

In recent years, the ECMHP has expanded to include support for infants, young children, and families impacted by opioid and other substance use disorders, with particular attention to those identified as having prenatal substance exposure. To address this growing need, DBHDID added funding to CMHC contracts to support Early Childhood Consultants as additional staff dedicated to regional ECMHPs. 

Early Childhood Consultants, like Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists, are located within each of the 14 regional CMHCs. They support infants and young children (birth to age five) and their families, especially those facing challenges related to substance use disorders. Their work strengthens regional capacity to identify and support infants with prenatal substance exposure, children impacted by trauma or at risk of trauma, and young children whose mothers are in recovery. Through consultation, training, and strong community partnerships, they help lessen the effects of early adversity and promote healthy development and nurturing relationships.

To obtain more information about your local ECMHP, please contact Brittany Barber at brittanya.barber@ky.gov  and Kristen​ Martin at ​kristen.martin@ky.gov