Department of Mental Health Encourages Participation in Upcoming Event for the Early Connections Network
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Mental Health (TDMH) invites community participation in an upcoming training and community planning session entitled Early Connections Network: Make a Connection in Your Community! This event provides professionals, parents, and community partners in Middle Tennessee the opportunity to learn how agencies, community members, and families in a System of Care can work together to produce better outcomes for young children and their families in their community.
Tennessee’s Early Connections Network is a six year, early childhood System of Care initiative in Cheatham, Dickson, Montgomery, Robertson and Sumner counties funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and administered by TDMH.
The purpose of the Early Connections Network is to build a System of Care for young children (ages 0-5) with social, emotional and behavioral needs. ECN will bring together families, caregivers, teachers, providers, governmental agencies, and natural supports in the promotion of healthy development to substantially strengthen community based, family-driven, and culturally and linguistically competent efforts to prepare children for school and for life. The ECN will have a special focus on working with the children and families of military service members and veterans.
On November 30, representatives from agencies and communities across the Region will come together to gather information from local early childhood specialists on the latest infant and early childhood mental health trends and evidence based practices and to learn how systems of care can help young children in their community. Frances Duran, policy associate in the early childhood division at Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, will be answering questions about her work with various states and communities in developing systems of care for young children and their families. This event is free and open to the public.
Event Details
November 30th
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
First Missionary Baptist Church
303 Fairview Lane
Clarksville, TN 37040
To register for the event, please visit http://earlyconnectionsnetwork.eventbrite.com.
On November 16, the Department of Mental Health released an announcement of funding for management of the Early Connections Network. For more information about this funding opportunity, please visit www.tennessee.gov/mental.
To become involved in the development of the Early Connections Network, please contact Susan Steckel, Director of Children and Youth Services, Tennessee Department of Mental Health at (615) 253-8377 or at Susan.Steckel@tn.gov.