National Associations, Organizations

There are many professional associations funded primarily with membership dues and national associations funded primarily with foundation or grant resources that are dedicated to improving practices and services to children with mental health or social emotional challenges. Some focus on treatment of existing problems while others focus on prevention efforts aimed at improving the lives of families with young children.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) provides national members and families with information about the treatment of developmental, behavioral and mental health disorders. The Website has current research findings, practice guidelines and fact sheets.

Children's Defense Fund (CDF)-Child Welfare and Mental Health Division is an organization involved in many aspects of child well-being, care, education and advocacy. This mental health division has developed a resource "kit" designed to help promote access to the availability of mental health screens and assessments. Medicaid screening (EPSDT) is explained. Strategies used by states to do mental health screenings as well as barriers and challenges are described.

Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) - Behavioral Health Division is committed to building a system of services to support and strengthen families with children. CWLA is known for its "family centered - family preservation efforts. CWLA has a behavior health division to provide leadership to enhance and create effective community -based programs. Go to "programs" on the menu and then click "behavioral health division" and/ or "family centered services" for descriptions of training and programs.

Division of Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children is a national membership organization focusing on birth to school age populations of children with all disabilities. DEC has developed a position statement (PDF: 144kb) and concept paper (PDF: 391kb) on "Children with Challenging Behavior". Also available to order from DEC is the "Young Exceptional Children Series: Monograph No.1-Practical Ideas for Addressing Challenging Behavior".

Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health is a national family run organization dedicated exclusively to helping children with mental health needs and their families achieve a better quality of life. The organization provides leadership training to develop and sustain a national network of state and local chapters. These chapters advocate for change in how services are designed and delivered and help policy makers and providers become more effective in delivering services. The Website contains facts and tip sheets and other publications as well as announcements of training including their annual conferences.

The IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) is organized as a not-for-profit corporation to promote mutual assistance, cooperation, and exchange of information and ideas in the administration of Part C and to provide support to state and territory Part C coordinators. ITCA has published a position paper called "Infant Mental Health Approaches and IDEA Part C". (PDF: 173kb)

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a national membership association of professionals involved in early care and education. Two resources for purchase are "Challenging Behavior in Young Children: Understanding, Preventing and Responding Effectively" and "Painting a Positive Picture-Proactive Behavior Management".

National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) members are the top administrators of state mental health programs throughout the country. The purpose of the organization is to provide a forum for state leaders to share information and ideas, to deliver technical assistance to its members, develop policy and advocate on behalf of its members. NASMHPD is one of the 11 primary partners in IDEA's Policymaker Partnership technical assistance plans. Available on-line is a Change Agent's TOOL BOX an eight-part series promoting integration across service systems Tool Box includes:

National Center for Children in Poverty-Early Care and Learning Section (NCCP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization at Columbia University. The mission is to identify and promote strategies that prevent child poverty in the United States and that improve the lives of low-income children and families. NCCP's resources on mental health and young, vulnerable children includes state profiles, financing mental health, emergency treatment, and facts for policy makers. The Unclaimed Children Revisited initiative highlights policies across the United States that promote or inhibit the delivery of high-quality mental health services and supports to children, youth, and families in need.

Several excellent publications include:

National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning provides state and tribal child welfare agencies with training, technical assistance and information on family-centered practices from a prevention approach.

National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is the largest national non-profit organization addressing mental health and mental illness. There are over 300 affiliates around the country. The Website contains fact sheets for families, information about state and federal programs and other useful resources.

Nation's Network of Child Care Resources and Referral (NACCRRA) is a national network of more than 850 Child Care Resource and Referral Centers located in every state and many local communities. The national organization has joined in a partnership with a number of other national training centers to make training, technical assistance and resources available to CCR&R staff who work with child care providers and families dealing with young children with challenging behavior. The website links to these national centers and provides assistance to hold joint training events.

World Association for Infant Mental Health is an interdisciplinary and international association promoting the education, research and study of the effects of mental, emotional and social development during infancy on later development. The association publishes "Infant Mental Health Journal" and quarterly newsletter "The Signal". They have an extensive lending video library.