Parent, Infant and Early Childhood

The Parent, Infant & Early Childhood (PIEC) Team is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of parents and young children through statewide coordination, training, technical assistance, and research. We support caregivers and professionals by partnering with early childhood agencies to make data-driven decisions, facilitate professional development, and strengthen child care programs.

Our team includes experts in early childhood, maternal and child health, program development, and evaluation. We collaborate with a diverse array of early childhood professionals, and state and local agencies to improve systems of care, with an emphasis on supporting historically underserved parents and their children.

Highlights

About Us

For over 15 years, the PIEC team partnered with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to enhance the implementation, workforce development, and evaluation of these evidence-informed models: the Pyramid Model and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). These national models aim to empower early childhood professionals to nurture and support the social-emotional development of infants and young children in natural and community settings. To learn more about these models and how they can benefit your team, please visit kidsthrivemaryland.org, Maryland’s hub for early childhood mental health and behavioral health resources

Current Work

  • State-Wide Training & Reflective Coaching on Pyramid Model Competencies for Early Intervention and other Early Childhood settings
  • Support to and evaluation of Maryland State Department of Education Funded State Network of Early Childhood Mental Health Consultations (ECMHC)
Training and Coaching

The PIEC team offers trainings in the following topics:

  1. The Pyramid Model for Preschool or Infants and Toddlers Classrooms
  2. Trauma Informed Pyramid Model
  3. Practice Based Coaching
  4. Mental Health Topics: Anxiety in young children, attachment and temperament, staff and teacher wellness
  5. Assessment Tools:
    1. ECSII (Early Childhood Service Intensity Instrument)
    2. DECA (Devereux Early Childhood Assessment)
    3. ASQ and ASQ-SE (Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social Emotional)
    4. SEAM (Social-Emotional Assessment/Evaluation Measure)
    5. PICCOLO (Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations)
    6. IECMHC Onboarding Series
    7. Other training topics upon request

Through our work with the IECMHC and Pyramid Model, the PIEC team has developed a variety of online trainings easily accessible through CE21.

If you are interested in receiving training for you and your staff, please fill out the form below.

https://umaryland.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e3g1T6PuV4wsG3A

Statewide Coordination

The PIEC team has experience coordinating Maryland’s statewide implementation of the Pyramid Model and IECMHC programs. Activities include: managing data systems for continuous quality improvement, providing professional development and technical assistance, and strengthening the statewide system of child care programs.

Social Media & Websites

Past Highlights

  • Read about our work improving outcomes for Baltimore City children with incarcerated parents
  • Program Direction, Consultation & Evaluation for two Maryland early childhood SAMHSA-funded System of Care grants (Southern Maryland BRIDGE in Charles, St Mary’s & Calvert Counties and E-SMART in Carrol County)
  • PROPEL: In partnership with B’More for Healthy Babies Baltimore City’s PSEP Coalition, develop and facilitate focus groups with city-based parents with an incarceration history and/or substance use history
  • University of Maryland School of Social Work Parenting Initiative: Parenting Research, Education & Policy (PREP) Initiative
  • Behavioral Health Curriculum Development (BHCDI): SAMHSA-funded project enhancing behavioral health curriculum in social work master’s programs
  • Map to Success: HHS-funded project that connects pregnant and parenting youth in Baltimore City to parent-specific services and increases collaboration across providers
  • B’more SUCCEEDS: SAMHSA-funded project that improves services for Baltimore City youth who are homeless/housing unstable, substance using and possibly pregnant/parenting

Meet our Team