This session focuses on defining Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) and its importance for healthy socioemotional development. The discussion includes how to recognize symptoms of unhealthy IECMH, and practical approaches that professionals can use to improve it. Additionally, participants consider the importance of addressing IECMH in children and their families who have been historically marginalized.
Presenters
Professor Kelly Bost, Ph.D. is a faculty member in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research examines how families and parent-child attachment relationships impact children’s socioemotional and health-related outcomes using multi-method approaches.
Samantha Iwinski is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She works closely with Dr. Bost to help examine how families and parent-child relationships impact children’s development, specifically their executive function abilities, emotion regulation, and eating behaviors.
Continuing Education (CE) Credit
This OneOp Early Intervention webinar series:
- Early Interventionists and Early Childhood Educators: This webinar offers 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits through the Early Intervention Training Program (EITP) at the University of Illinois through 6/30/2026.
- Illinois Early Care & Education Providers: This webinar is a Gateways to Opportunity Registry-approved Training for early care and education professionals in Illinois through 6/30/2026.
- Certified Family Life Educators: This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations through 4/5/2026.
- Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK though 4/5/2025.
- Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board through 4/5/2025.
- Certificate of attendance
Event Materials
That’s the Ticket | Series
This four-part webinar series for 2023 defines IECMH and provides participants with important knowledge, awareness, strategies, and tools to support the healthy socioemotional development of children ages birth to 5 years old.
