Guest User Guest User

Job Posting - Family and Community Professional, Waukesha, Birth to Three Program

The following is a message from Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan, Inc.

Job Posting - Birth to Three program

Family and Community Professional – Waukesha, full-time

As an organization full of servant leaders we know that our clients have an invisible story we may not know. Come join the work of helping create strong families with our team in Waukesha. Work as an At Risk team member to provide services via direct assessment and treatment of children and their families, as well as through consultation with professionals who work with the child and family. Complete eligibility evaluations on young children with developmental concerns and a history of trauma. Support the social and emotional development and well-being of children in the context of their family/caregiver relationships. LSS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Check out the link below for more details and to apply today!

https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/LUT1001LSS/JobBoard/e14e947f-8ee5-4e12-a8a7-cda7df507593/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=8f4da8f4-5ec5-499f-a015-5904f034ae21

LSS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

 

Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Silent Art Auction Absentee Bidding is OPEN!

Absentee Bidding for the WI-AIMH Silent Art Auction is now open!

Our silent auction is held during our annual conference, with proceeds benefiting the WI-AIMH Donna Harris Scholarship Fund. Read more about the silent auction below and click on the gallery to view this year’s items available for bidding.

When can I bid?

This year, we will be introducing absentee bidding! Even if you can’t attend the conference, you will be able to participate in the silent auction! Absentee bidding opens on Monday, October 7.

At the conference, the Silent Art Auction will open for bids Monday morning and remains open throughout the day. Bids will close at the end of the Monday Happy Hour.

Where does the money go?

Proceeds from the silent auction support the Donna Harris Scholarship Fund.  This fund helps provide scholarships to qualifying professionals to attend the annual WI-AIMH Conference. 

Click here to view the complete Silent Art Auction FAQ and view a slideshow gallery of available items!

Read More

Save the Date for the Upcoming WI-AIMH Southern Chapter Quarterly Event!

Save the Date!

WI-AIMH Southern Chapter Quarterly Event

Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework Training

 

When: November 7th, 2pm-4pm

Where: Fitchburg Public Library, 5530 Lacy Rd, Fitchburg, WI

**No cost to attend training**

The Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework guides child- and family-serving professionals to recognize and lift up families’ strengths and to shift their practice in small but significant ways that support families to build five key protective factors. Learn what Strengthening Families is all about, and how you can use the framework and tools from the Center for the Study of Social Policy to make changes in your practice and help families build their protective factors.

Contact the Chapter At :

Email: Schapter@wiaimh.org

Facebook: https://fb.me/WIAIMHSouthernChapter

Presenter Cailin O'Connor is a Senior Associate at the Center for the Study of Social Policy, where she works to promote better outcomes for young children and their families, with a focus on promoting the protective factors that children, families, and communities need to thrive. With roots in the field of family support and child abuse and neglect prevention, Cailin’s work has addressed a wide range of issues, including adverse childhood experiences, cross-systems coordination, effective prevention strategies, and evidence-informed program im-provement. She is a graduate of Macalester College, and holds a mas-ter's degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a gradu-ate certificate in Prevention and Intervention Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Happy Hour and Networking To Follow:

Me & Julio Restaurant

2784 S Fish Hatchery Rd, Fitchburg, WI

Registry Credit and CEU available!

View or download the event flyer here.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

New Publication Announcement: second edition of Handbook on Children with Incarcerated Parents co-authored by WI-AIMH member Dr. Julie Poehlmann-Tynan

The following message is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology.

Poehlmann-Tynan and Eddy publish second edition of Handbook on Children with Incarcerated Parents

In the country with the highest rate of adult incarceration as well as a growing incarceration crisis at the US–Mexico border, scholars hail the timely arrival of this updated guide to working with children with incarcerated parents. 

MADISON – Nearly a decade after the publication of a first-of-its-kind guide for researchers and practitioners working with children with incarcerated parents, Dr. Julie Poehlmann-Tynan, the Dorothy O’Brien Professor in Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and affiliate faculty with the Institute for Research on Poverty and the Center for Healthy Minds, and co-editor Dr. J. Mark Eddy, Senior Research Scientist with New York University, have published an update to their groundbreaking tome.

“I’m eager to get this new edition out into the world, as the research on children with incarcerated parents has exploded in the past 10 years,” says Poehlmann-Tynan. “Whether a child is experiencing her first visit to a parent in jail or is detained on the US–Mexico border, separated from her parents and fearing their deportation, I anticipate this book will help us serve our children and families better—everyone from policymakers to frontline social workers. ”

This new handbook examines family life, health, and educational issues that often arise for the millions of children in the United States whose parents are involved with the criminal justice system, from arrest to prison or jail incarceration to reentry into the community. It details how children with incarcerated parents are more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as aggression, substance abuse, learning difficulties, mental health concerns, and physical health issues than their peers. It also examines resilience and how children and families can thrive even in the face of multiple challenges related to parental incarceration. 

“This important new volume provides a cutting-edge update of research on the impact of incarceration on family life. The book will be an essential reference for researchers and practitioners working at the intersections of criminal justice, poverty, and child development,” says Dr. Bruce Western, Professor at Columbia University and Co-Director of the school’s Justice Lab.

Chapters integrate the diverse, interdisciplinary, and rapidly expanding literature, and they synthesize rigorous scholarship to address the needs of children from multiple perspectives, including child welfare, child development, education, health care, mental health, family science, law enforcement, corrections, and law. The handbook concludes with a chapter that explores new directions in research, policy, and practice to improve the life chances of children with incarcerated parents.

Dr. Leslie Leve, an expert in child and adolescent development at the University of Oregon, says, “This edition is a ‘must-read’ for students, researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers alike who are dedicated to promoting the health and resilience of children affected by parental incarceration.”

Handbook on Children with Incarcerated Parents: Research, Policy, and Practice is now available in hardcover and eBook versions from Springer. 

The School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison was founded in 1903. For over a century, it has promoted real-world, problem-solving research and teaching to improve the quality of life for children, families, consumers, and communities.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

Back for the conference this year – the WI-AIMH Silent Auction!

The WI-AIMH Silent Auction

Bid on an array of items donated by friends of WI-AIMH!  All proceeds of the Silent Auction benefit the Donna Harris Scholarship Fund, which supports professionals in attending infant/early childhood professional development events.

New for 2019 – we are able to accept credit card payments this year!

To view the Silent Auction FAQ and see an array of available items, visit:  https://wiaimh.org/silent-auction

We will be featuring some of the items available for bidding over social media, so keep in touch to see them!

This year, we will also be introducing absentee bidding!  Even if you can’t attend the conference, you will be able to participate in the silent auction!  Absentee bidding opens on Monday, October 7.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

Upcoming: No Small Matter: The Role of Primary Care Clinicians in the First 1,000 Days

No Small Matter: The Role of Primary Care Clinicians in the First 1,000 Days

 

When: October 2-3, 2019

Where: Waukesha County Technical College, 800 Main St, Pewaukee, WI, 53072

Screening of “No Small Matter”

Wednesday, October 2, 2019, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Register: NoSmallMatter2019.eventbrite.com

Screening and panel discussion around the compelling film “No Small Matter,” which explores children’s brains in early childhood and how to push their needs to the top of our social agenda. Open to Forum registrants and the community at large.

The Role of Primary Care Clinicians in the First 1,000 Days

Thursday, October 3, 2019, 9:00am – 5:00pm

Register: First1000Days.eventbrite.com

The first few years of life are the “big bang” for development — 100 billion neurons being connected by synapses at a rate of seven hundred per second. And when a child lacks an engaging, loving environment, “toxic” experiences actually have the power to rewire her brain, with consequences that can last a lifetime. What does this mean for your practice?

Join clinicians, educators, researchers, public health professionals at our statewide Open Forum to explore the science, its implementation and how children can fare better in Wisconsin. Aspirational, practical – this event is open to all who recognize the value of investing in our youngest citizens.

• Addressing vaccine hesitancy

• Developmental screening and surveillance

• Early literacy and the Reach Out and Read Program

• Home visiting programs

• Infant and early childhood mental and behavioral health

Both events are open to all and will feature speakers and attendees from pediatrics and other primary care providers, statewide public health advocates and others dedicated to the quality of care for children and families in Wisconsin.

This event presented by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

For more information, contact: Kia LaBracke, KLaBracke@wiaap.org - 262.751.7003

ACCME Credit: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)

through the joint providership of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Wisconsin Chapter of the AAP. The American Academy of Pediatrics is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The AAP designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity is acceptable for a maximum of 6.0 AAP credits. These credits can be applied toward the AAP CME/CPD Award available to Fellows and Candidate Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

PAs may claim a maximum of 6.0 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

This program is accredited for 6.0 NAPNAP CE contact hours of which 0 contain pharmacology (Rx) content, (0 related to psychopharmacology) (0 related to controlled substances), per the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Continuing Education Guidelines.

AAFP Credit: Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians. Determination of credit is pending.

View/Download the event flyer here.

Read More
Event, Wisconsin Pyramid Model Guest User Event, Wisconsin Pyramid Model Guest User

Team WI-AIMH and Wisconsin's First Lady visit Once Upon a Time in Verona

Today, Lana Nenide and Jenny Durand of #TeamWIAIMH and the First Lady of Wisconsin, Kathleen Evers, visited Verona Area Pre-K students at Once Upon a Time. First Lady Evers spoke with teachers and parents and spent some time reading to the children! Once Upon a Time has received a top award for using the WI Pyramid Model for Social Emotional Competence, a framework of evidence-based practices for promoting healthy social emotional learning in young children.. Congratulations to Once Upon a Time! What a big day!

Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: Keynote Speaker Reading Suggestions

The following items have been recommended by this year’s Conference Keynote Speaker, Dr. Eva Marie Shivers.

 

Keynote Address Recommended Reading:

You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Look At (Carter, Skiba, Arredondo, Pollock, 2014)

Expulsion and Suspension in Early Education as Matters of Social Justice and Health Equity (Meek & Gilliam, 2016)

The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism (Audre Lorde, 1981)

Colorism, A Legacy of Historical Trauma in Parent-Child Relationships (Lewis, Noroña, McConnico, Thomas, 2013)

 

Breakout Session Recommended Reading:

Excerpt from National Keynote Speech: “The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism” (Audre Lorde, 1981)

Article: “White Fragility” (DiAngelo, 2011)

Report: Telling Our Own Story: The Role of Narrative in Racial Healing (Godsil & Goodale, 2013)

 

Book Club Meme - Keynote List.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Stick and Stone" by Beth Ferry

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Seven: Jenny reads Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

"Being a busy mom, I rarely have time to enjoy an adult book, which makes it exciting when I can find a children’s book I can learn from as much as my kids can. Stick and Stone is a delightful rhyming story of two very different characters, Stick and Stone, who find themselves lonely and longing for a friend to play with. When they find each other they are delighted to see that despite their differences they take joy in their play. When Pinecone friend comes along and is unkind to Stone, Stick takes the opportunity to stand up for his new friend, telling Pinecone to “vanish”. The friendship grows between Stick and Stone until one day they are separated. Stone searches for his friend until he finds him in a “muddy” situation. Their friendship is strengthened as Stone rescues Stick. The story ends with the illustration of Pinecone joining Stick and Stone and reflecting on the unkind words that were said. Pinecone was forgiven and found joy in the new friendship as well. The simplicity of the narrative and clear emotion illustrations provided a perfect opportunity to talk with my children about the differences between the characters, emotions that they share even though they look different, friendship skills developed, and tough choices when unkind situations occur and ultimately the repair that occurred when Pinecone rejoined and was accepted by Stick and Stone. This story was a great reminder that even though differences occur between us, we all feel emotions. We may feel uneasy in these friendships at first, but the relationship is strengthened as you spend more time together and navigate tough situations together. This book helps the adult reader reflect: when we are strained by “unkind” words, especially when we witness this in our friend, family, or professional circles, how do we handle these situations? Do we step back and let it happen or do we stand up and start conversation?"


Book Club Meme - Jenny.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Whistling Vivaldi" by Dr. Claude Steele

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Six: Kathie reads Whistling Vivaldi by Dr. Claude Steele

"I always appreciate a good Mystery. Dr Claude Steele describes his work, Whistling Vivaldi, as social science research posing as a mystery novel.

The author is a renowned social psychologist who examines the social constructs of identity, stereotype and perceived threat and the implications that these concepts have on how we live our lives and experience the world. He started his research with a problem – why were African American college students getting lower grades compared to their white peers with the name SAT scores? As he began to examine this puzzle, he and his team find women under-performing in university math classes compared to men at the same ability levels. This leads him on a journey examining the power that the threat of negative stereotypes has on performance. As he explores further, he encounters a variety of different ways that this “Stereotype Threat” impacts career choices, perceived levels of comfort, and daily life.

If the ideas in Whistling Vivaldi seem compelling, Dr. Steele also has some excellent recorded talks including this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YbE3ljT3t4) where he discusses his ideas and research." - - Kathie, Team WI-AIMH

Book Club Meme - Kathie.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

This week, we have a special guest reader for our recommended reading series. Samuel is the son of WI-AIMH Executive Director Lana Nenide and is a freshman at Middleton High School.

Week Five: Samuel reads Dear Martin by Nic Stone

“Last year my friend recommended I read The Hate You Give and it was good. So good that I took my family to watch the movie. Just a week ago I needed a new book so another friend recommended I read Dear Martin which I assumed was similar to The Hate You Give. I was correct. But there are a few things I like in Dear Martin that I think are better than in The Hate You Give. I believe that Dear Martin is more captivating and leaves you always on the edge of your seat whereas in The Hate You Give the middle of the book isn't as exciting. Don't get me wrong, both books have similar themes but the way Nic Stone, the author of Dear Martin writes the story, I think it's more exciting. Where in most cases I finish books in 2 weeks, I finished this book in 3 days. Whenever I had free time, instead of spending it on YouTube, I would read this book. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 12. It has inspired me to think of things in a different way and to always be respectful no matter what race, sex or nationality a person is. I hope to anyone who reads this review that you get up and go to the library and get Dear Martin." - - Samuel, WI-AIMH Guest Reader

Book Club Meme - Samuel.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Seventh Generation Earth Ethics: Native Voices of Wisconsin" by Patty Loew

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Four: Melissa reads Seventh Generation Earth Ethics: Native Voices of Wisconsin by Patty Loew

"The Ojibwe Seventh Generation philosophy, a principle embraced by many other Native peoples, cautions decision makers to consider how their actions will affect seven generations into the future—some 240 years.  It discourages “me-first” instant gratification and instead reinforces unselfishness, community-mindedness, and an ethic of sustainability.”

“In this book, Loew profiles prominent figures from each of Wisconsin’s twelve indigenous nations.  Activists, environmentalists, preservers of  language and culture —  the biographies of these individuals highlight each of their dedication and connection to the land, and ways that their work helped shape and nurture their communities.  The biographies are inspiring and speak to the tradition of sustainability that many Wisconsinites have embraced throughout the years.  They demonstrate the importance of continuing the work of  our ancestors and contemporaries and compel us to join in their efforts  to create a more sustainable future and a better world for the generations who will follow us." - - Melissa, Team WI-AIMH

Book Club Meme - Melissa.jpg
Read More
IMH-E®, Professional Development WI-AIMHLana Nenide IMH-E®, Professional Development WI-AIMHLana Nenide

WI-AIMH welcomes latest professionals to IMH-E® network

endorsement map-Web-updated.jpg

Congratulations to Mary B. Olson (Wausau) and Gean M. Swiatko-Klee (Kenosha) for earning Infant Mental Health (IMH) Endorsement® for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health. Welcome to this network of dedicated IMH professionals. Thank you for your commitment to infants, toddlers and their families.

IMH Endorsement® is an internationally-recognized credential that supports and recognizes the development and proficiency of professionals who work with or on behalf of infants, toddlers, and their families.

For more information about IMH-Endorsement®, including information about how to apply, visit www.wiaimh.org/endorsement.

Click here to view the IMH-E® Directory

Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Beloved" by Toni Morrison

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Three: Lana reads Beloved by Toni Morrison

"In light of the recent passing of the amazing Toni Morrison – I wanted to share this photo I took of her portrait. Look at her – standing straight, present, strong, unapologetic. She is not here to please and make things feel pretty – she is here to tell the truth and make things right. She is an incredible story-teller. And she is a truthful one.

I found the portrait at the National Portrait   Gallery in DC last spring and was drawn, called to it. In fact, I had to come back the next day after discovering it, to see Toni again. At that point, I just finished reading “Beloved” and was moved and pulled by the depth, pain and yet hope of the story. And I felt that Toni was giving me strength. “You are your best thing, Sethe” – what an incredible, validating, loving line. “Beloved” takes time to process, it is haunting and emotional and yet, it is a necessary read. We can’t turn away from pain. And we have to remember there is hope."    - - Lana, Team WI-AIMH

Book Club Meme - Lana.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

Dr. Gerard Costa responds to recent tragedies in Texas and Ohio

The following is a message from Dr. Gerard Costa, Director of the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health. Click here to view the original document.

A Message from the Director of the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health

College of Education and Human Services – Montclair State University

Tragedies in Texas and Ohio

August 9, 2019

Dear Families, Colleagues and Friends,

Our hearts are breaking.

For the past eight years, our Center has issued guidelines on how to speak with young children about difficult events and tragedies that have befallen our neighbors in communities around our nation. We mourned with you and reflected on ways to help you and the infants and young children for whom you are parents and stewards. We did so after Super storm Sandy along our own eastern coast, and around the growing number of public violent tragedies including the Boston Marathon bombing, the Sandy Hook school shooting and the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh last October. We issued guidelines to speak with children about the 2016 election when so many children and adults became worried by the extraordinary level of fear felt by the collective masses – mostly by the very young and immigrants.

We and so many others, have made available many resources to help you in these necessary conversations with children. In the face of these tragedies, children in your lives must feel certain that you will keep them safe. Please contact us at caecmh@montclair.edu or at 973-655-6685 for materials and support. Also visit the New Jersey Association for Infant Mental Health (www.nj-aimh.org) for guidelines on speaking with young children.

By now we have become familiar with the experience of shock, fear, rage and for many a deepening sense of dread and even hopelessness. Infants and children desperately need parents and adults to help them make sense of what is happening in our world and nearby communities. The media make far way events feel close to us - and we must not lose that sense of joining with our fellow humans across the street, across the nation and across the planet. But that is not the entire story of who we are.

As we stand in horror over the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio this past weekend, this letter has a different purpose. It is a call to join together in action – in your own personal lives and in our shared, collective world.

First, our personal lives:

Public tragedies deeply affect each of us and change our human experience by altering our brain systems leading us to filter all events through fear. Our beliefs about our safety are diminished and these changes compromise our ability to hold onto deeply held values and beliefs, and even our ability to use our “thinking” brains to evaluate, reflect, plan and care for ourselves and others. Under these stressors, reflective people often become polarized thinkers. We create “dividing lines”, like “Us vs. Them”, and “Good vs. Bad”. We make snap judgements, risk acting unfairly and unkindly. We become diminished as people.

These violent acts do not reflect the vast decency of our shared humanity.

Yet we feel more frightened, guarded and become more reactive. Our humanity is “short-circuited” when our fears take over. This changes our thoughts, attitudes, our demeanor and posture. Our faces look different to children, our voices more stressed, our movements and pacing more alarming. Our words become more punctuated and crisp, our tension is transmitted to others – particularly for infants and children. Our “brains and minds” change the “brains and minds” of others – especially the young children.

This all happens “below the radar” without our intent or awareness. Being mindful of these changes can help you contain them and talk about them with other adults. This can help us to be emotionally available to infants and young children as we help organize their feelings and thoughts about what they might see, hear and come to understand.

• Even when we do our best to limit exposure to TV and other media about these tragedies, children hear and know something terrible has happened. How you help them “organize” these feelings and information will help them. We do this by listening carefully and calmly. We don’t impose details or meanings that come from our adult world, but we correct accounts, point out all of the “helpers” (as Mr. Rogers reminded us after 9/11), we “lend our calm” to the children even as we honor and reflect their sadness and worry.

We help infants and young children by not enlarging their fear which we adults may feel, and we reassure them they are safe with you. I know this is difficult to do as many of you may not feel you can be certain about their, and your safety. But uncertainly is the province of adulthood. Children need to feel certain they are safe with you. If this were to be lost in the face of these tragedies, violence would have prevailed over what children require – safety and security. These violent acts do not reflect the vast decency of our shared humanity.

• Maintain your values and beliefs about the goodness of humanity and explain that even when bad actions occur, we as a family and community will do everything to be safe.

• Talk about mental health and how important it is for all to feel safe, secure cared for and loved. While we often seek to label the reasons for such acts as ideological – recognizing the reality and toxicity of “Nationalist Terrorism” or “White Supremacy”-inspired violence – those who actually commit such mass violence almost always also suffer from early childhood trauma and early exposure to violence. Often such individuals become isolated and incapable of forming close relationships. All of us – children, adults, parents, teachers, doctors - can try to connect with those we meet to convey our interest in, and care for them.

• Even with our best efforts, we cannot “catch every leaf” that falls, but our understanding of the origins of mental illness and the power of relationships to heal and help, can lead us to be better at early identification and support. Each of us can become interested in all of us. If you see someone (in need), say something.

• It is acceptable and necessary to feel joy, have fun and engage in humor in the face of these tragedies. This is neither disrespectful nor insensitive.

• Live your family lives as if you were creating the world you hope to have. These violent acts do not reflect the vast decency of our shared humanity.

Second, our shared, collective lives

• Talk with your children about helping those who have been hurt and engage in local helping in your community, taking you children to make donations to a shelter or food bank, donate blood, volunteer to support those who are homeless, those who are disenfranchised, those less fortunate, immigrants who are detained, and so on. Don’t do these things alone! Enlist your family members, friends and neighbors. Shared action and responsibility engender shared communities of care – and counteract the messaging conveyed by violence.

• Get involved at the local, state and federal levels. When we are changed as people in the ways described earlier, many of us tend to withdraw – into the privacy and safety of our families, our homes and ourselves. This movement to shift to safety – like a turtle moving its head into a shell – provides brief respite which in the short term can be very much needed. All of us likely sat with our family and friends as we watched the horrible news about El Paso and Dayton. We held each other, shared the shock and horror, cried together, maybe even as adults slept together. Once we help ourselves in the short term, we need, for ourselves and our children, to become members of a shared, active community. Join in diversity-based community or faith-based gathering of prayer and hope, speak out against injustice and teach the lesson that words can hurt even more than bodily injury. Write letters to friends, politicians, elected officials, newspapers, social media – messages that speak of hope and resolve, taking a stand against the inaction of government systems to make necessary changes to gun laws, in needed early intervention and mental health, and in creating a more just society.

• Infants and young children are always watching and listening to how adults are and what we say – especially their parents! This includes those moments when we act in unfair and unkind ways, and when we might believe the children are not paying attention to us. They also listen deeply when we admit that when we are worried or angry that we sometimes do and say things, we wish we had not. Apologize to the Children when you do and say unfavorable things.

• Remember, these violent acts do not reflect the vast decency of our shared humanity.

Please contact our Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health at Montclair State University with any questions at 973-655-6685 or at caecmh@montclair.edu.

Gerard Costa, Ph.D., Director,

Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health

Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning

College of Education and Human Services

Montclair State University

Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "Full, Full, Full of Love"

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week Two: Tina reads Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Paul Howard

“This beautifully illustrated children’s picture book is filled with images and descriptions of a young boy’s relationship with his grandmother. The story tells of Jay Jay being dropped off at Grannie’s house as she is making preparations for a Sunday family dinner.

There are descriptions of the contents of Grannie’s house, the food-making, and its resulting smells, tastes and sounds. The family is African American and the story features culturally sensitive depictions of the family and traditional African American foods.

The love between Grannie and Jay Jay is evident in everything they do together. Anticipation builds as the time approaches for the rest of the family to arrive.  Finally, aunties, uncles, cousins and mom and dad arrive to enjoy a grand dinner together. As the story ends, Jay Jay is carried out in his father’s arms with his mom at their side. He waves goodbye with this text:

Grannie’s house is always full,
full of hugs and kisses,
full of tasty dishes,
full of all kinds of fishes,
full to the brim with happy faces,
full, full, full of love
.”

Book Club Meme - Tina.jpg
Read More
Guest User Guest User

WI-AIMH Recommended Reading: "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism"

This summer, WI-AIMH staff is sharing summer reading recommendations with our social media audiences. Look for a new post every Thursday for a book selection and thoughts from a member of Team WI-AIMH.

Week One: Ashley reads White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

"I have found this book extremely useful and necessary in my quest to better understand myself, my socialization, how my own white fragility manifests, and how at times it impedes my efforts to engage as constructively as I'd like to in dialogue to enact social change through addressing racial inequalities, power and privilege. Dr. DiAngelo provides language for phenomenon I would notice but couldn't name. She challenges us (white people) to turn inward to examine the limitations of our good intentions and pushes us to acknowledge and develop a better understanding of the deeper roots of our socialization and culture that have kept us entrenched in systems that hold racial inequality in place. Inherent in Infant Mental Health work is culturally sensitive relationship-focused practice and I feel this book is a must-read as it provides a vital set of tools for the self-examination and reflection needed for white providers and social justice advocates to have personal accountability while engaging with the diverse workforce, families and infants we serve with sensitivity, dignity and mindful awareness."

Read More

Upcoming: WI-AIMH Southern Chapter Event: ASQ:3 and ASQ:SE Training

Lisa Jones (4-C) and Cathy Daentl (CESA5) will be giving an ASQ:3 and ASQ:SE Training in Baraboo on August 24th! 

When: Saturday August, 24th 2019 8:30am—3:30pm

Where: Baraboo High School, 1201 Draper St Baraboo, WI 53913

Fee: $15 for WI-AIMH members, $20 for non members (Light Breakfast and Lunch Provided)

Registration Deadline: August 9th

 Developmental screening is a proven strategy for identifying children's strengths and opportunities for growth. Check out the attached flyer for more information and register today! Don't miss out on this opportunity!

 Registration ends August 9th.

Click here to register

Click here to submit payment

Click on the image below to view/download the event flyer.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

Applications are still being accepted for the University of Wisconsin Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program Class of 2019-2020

The following is a message from the Department of Psychiatry, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program

Professional Development Opportunity in Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health

The University of Wisconsin Infant, Early Childhood, and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program is an excellent opportunity for professionals in Wisconsin to learn about and gain skills related to the mental health and well-being of infants, young children and their families in the prenatal and postpartum periods through early childhood. This Program leads to increased knowledge and skills to help ameliorate and treat early parent-child disturbances before they become more serious disorders. This program is sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Applications are being accepted for the University of Wisconsin Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program Class of 2019-2020.

Application & Scholarships: Participation is by application and enrollment is limited. Apply now for first consideration for admission and scholarships. Applications will continue to be accepted as long as space is available, so apply as soon as possible.

Information about the Capstone Certificate Program and application guidance, including the application form, is available at this site: http://infantfamilymentalhealth.psychiatry.wisc.edu/.

Description: The Capstone Certificate Program is an interdisciplinary, one-year academic program for practicing professionals who provide consultation and relationship-based services to families in the prenatal and postpartum periods and for families with children ages birth through five years. Specifically, this program is designed for licensed mental health and health care professionals in clinical, counseling or school psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychiatry, pediatrics or family medicine. The program is also developed for professionals from the fields of early childhood who provide direct services to young children and their families in Home Visiting, Birth to 3, Early Childhood Special Education, Early Head Start, Head Start, Childcare, and Child Protective Services.

Following a cohort model, enrolled participants are provided with three days of class instruction each month as well as a Mindfulness class and small Reflective Mentoring Groups and individualized opportunities to reflect upon and integrate program content into their professional work experiences. These experiences contribute to an increased knowledge base and skills in providing appropriate screening, assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic or supportive intervention services to support the mental health of infants, young children and their families. Those who complete the Capstone Certificate Program will earn 10-12 graduate course credits from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Those who complete this Capstone Certificate Program will have gained knowledge and competencies to assist them in pursuing endorsement as an Infant Family Specialist, Infant Mental Health Specialist or Infant Mental Health Mentor through the Wisconsin Infant Mental Health Endorsement, Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health (WI-AIMH).

Questions: For questions about whether this Capstone Certificate Program is right for you and about the application process, feel free to contact one of the Program Directors:

Roseanne Clark, PhD, IMH-E®

Capstone Certificate Program Faculty Director

rclark@wisc.edu

Linda Tuchman-Ginsberg, PhD

Capstone Certificate Program Co-Director

linda.tuchman@wisc.edu

Sarah Strong, LCSW, IMH-E®

Capstone Certificate Program Co-Director

sstrong@wisc.edu

Department of Psychiatry, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

University of Wisconsin Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate Program

Click here to view/download pdf.

Read More
Guest User Guest User

Donate to our Conference Scholarship Fund!

The Wisconsin Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Conference (held October 14-16, 2019) is intended for people who work with or on behalf of young children and their families. This annual conference features nationally-known speakers, as well as presenters from around Wisconsin, sharing information about promoting social and emotional development in everyday activities for infants, young children, and their families, as well as early intervention and treatment strategies.

Through the generosity of our conference donors and contributors to the Donna Harris Scholarship Fund, WI-AIMH has traditionally offered scholarships to help our Infant and Early Childhood Professionals offset some of the costs of attending our annual conference. Scholarships are awarded on a limited basis and we rely on our generous supporters who contribute financially to our scholarship campaigns to continue this tradition.

It costs $175 to sponsor a child care provider to attend an institute which is focused on Pyramid Model practices. Our goal for this donation drive is to fund and award scholarships to 10 qualifying child care professionals. Any amount helps! Thank you for supporting early relationships and the social emotional wellness of infants, toddlers, and their families!

Learn more about the conference at: www.wiaimh.org/conference

Read More