What is Early Childhood Mental Health?

Early childhood mental health is the social, emotional, and behavioral well-being of children birth through five and their families, including the developing capacity to:

• experience, regulate, and express emotion;
• form close, secure relationships; and
• explore the environment and learn.

Early childhood mental health is influenced by:

• the physical characteristics of the young child;
• the quality of the adult relationships in the child's life;
• the care-giving environments the child is in; and
• the community context in which the child and family lives.

What is an Early Childhood Mental Health System of Care?

An early childhood mental health system of care builds in part, on the two decades of system of care efforts in states and communities focusing on older children and youth with serious emotional disorders.  For children birth through five, the system of care provides a cross-system, cross-agency infrastructure that sustains services and supports that: promote, positive mental health, prevent mental health problems in children and families, and intervene for children and families impacted by mental health disorders.