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First 5 County Efforts > Fresno County

Fresno County

toddler with book

  

Supporting and Enhancing Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) System of Care 

Since 2004, First 5 Fresno County in partnership with county agencies and several community-based organizations implemented the SMART (Screening, Making decisions, Assessment, Referral and Treatment) Model of Care.  This model has established an integrated and comprehensive system of health, behavioral health, and child welfare ensuring access to early intevention services for children ages 0-5 in Fresno County. 

Results

  • Community-based identification
  • Center-based assessments
  • Accessible treatments both center and home-based
  • Enhanced public/private partnerships

To further support and build upon the work of SMART Model of Care, First 5 Fresno County is currently working on:

  • Developing an Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health (IFECMH) regional training program to include:
    • Regional, community-based IFECMH training hub
    • Opportunities to infuse infant mental health into existing academic programs
    • Community education to support family wellness and infant mental health
    • Culturally diverse infant mental health workforce
    • Reflective Practice Facilitation Groups
    • Key Partners
  • Creating a comprehensive and integrated Perinatal Mental Health System of Care to achieve the following outcomes:
    • Improve system for early and ongoing pre and postpartum screening, assessment, referral, and treatment services
    • Improve system of care for women with maternal depression and other mental health issues to ensure services are integrated, accessible, culturally appropriate, and of high quality 
    • Increase formal public-private collaboration among all appropriate service providers, thereby decreasing duplication and enhancing integrated services
    • Increase level of collaboration among service providers
    • Improve level of community awareness of maternal depression (what it is and how to get help)

 Key Partners

  • California Health Collaborative
  • California State University, Fresno, Department of Social Work
  • California State University, Fresno, Department of Counseling
  • Central California Children's Institute
  • Central Valley Regional Center
  • Children's Hopsital of Central California
  • Fresno Regional Medical Center
  • Families First
  • Fresno County Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health
  • Fresno County Department of Social Services
  • Fresno County Behavorial Health
  • Exceptional Parents Unlimited, Inc.
  • WestCare
  • Fresno Unified School District
  • Fresno County Office of Education
  • Clovis Unified School District
  • Parents
  • Spirit of Women
  • Univerisity of California San Francisco-Fresno Center OB Program
  • Marjaree Mason Center