Overview of Healthy Minds Healthy Children (HMHC):
HMHC is a prevention-based approach that pairs a Mental Health Consultant with professionals who work with infants and young children in settings where they learn and grow including childcare, preschool, home visiting, early intervention. For the purpose of this application, the focus of HMHC services will be within the Early Care and Education (ECE) system (center-based childcare, family childcare, preschool programs) the Southern and Northern Regions of Wisconsin (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/images/400/map-cclicensing-regions-map.png).
HMHC is composed of four service levels: child/family-centered; classroom/home; programmatic; and community. At each level, consultants will be collaborative, preventative, trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and relationship-based, and will focus on building the capacity of professionals, other caregivers, and programs to:
- create nurturing environments and relationships
- support and strengthen infant and young children’s social and emotional development
- decrease use of exclusionary practices such as suspension and expulsion
- reduce staff “burnout” and turnover
- support and strengthen school readiness
- address disparities ensuring that all young children of Wisconsin, regardless of race, gender, class or location are healthy, happy, and thriving in their home, school, and community environments.
HMHC Consultants are required to be available to work a minimum of 10 hours/week to be considered for the role of Consultant within this project. The provision of HMHC services will be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of children, families, and programs (this could include evening hours). HMHC will not look the same in every program and will evolve and shift over time within the same program. A program could utilize all or some of the four service levels. HMHC is a capacity-building service for all ECE professionals anchored in a trust-based, collaborative partnership. An expectation for all Consultants and all levels of service is to devote sufficient time to establishing a strong, positive relationship with staff and leadership. It’s also important to clarify what IECMHC is not.
An HMHC Consultant does not:
- provide direct mental health therapy services to children and families
- diagnose or treat children or families
- replace existing expertise and roles within the system
Currently, we are hiring within the Northern, Southern, and Southeastern regions of the state of Wisconsin (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/images/400/map-cclicensing-regions-map.png). Each Consultant works within a designated state region; each regional team will be composed of an HMHC Mentor and a team of 5-10 HMHC Consultants. The Consultant’s proportion of work will be 60% towards the provision of direct IECMHC services and 40% towards administrative, supervisory, and professional development requirements. A standard workweek includes direct HMHC services, administrative time, individual and group supervision, professional development activities and community connection and outreach. All WI HMHC Consultants, regardless of FTE status must be able to commit to participating in:
- Orientation and the 6-month onboarding process
- Shadowing and/or observation by their regional Mentor
- Individual reflective supervision, 1-hour/week, provided by regional Mentor
- Group reflective supervision, up to 2-hours/month, provided by regional Mentor
- Monthly, 90-minute, virtual Consultant Community of Practice (CoP)
- Ongoing professional development
- Annual HMHC Consultant Summit
Wisconsin IECMH Consultant Application
Thank you for completing the Wisconsin HMHC Consultant application. Please carefully review all components of the application and complete each section thoroughly. Completing the application is the first step in being considered for the role of HMHC Consultant within the WI state model of IECMHC. Completing the application does not guarantee a position within the program as a Consultant, but it is a required step of the process. The selection process includes:
- Completing and submitting the HMHC application
- Participating in an Interview
- Signing the HMHC Consultant Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- Successful completion of a name-based background check through the Department of Justice
Please complete the application before the closing date of February 1, 2024, though sooner is welcomed and encouraged, as we will be scheduling brief interviews on a rolling basis. Once candidates have been selected, we will share details of the onboarding and orientation event scheduled for February 27, 28, & 29, 2024.
If you are interested in this work and do not met eligibility criteria for this position, we welcome you to reach out to the IECMHC Program Manager, Corey Robak-Klein (crobak-klein@wiaimh.org) as a way to learn more about the field of infant and early childhood mental health. We would love to build a relationship with you!