History and Purpose

2015

Collaborative group of nine agencies committed to supporting young children’s mental health (ECMHC) came together

2017

ECMHC designed the Early Childhood Mental Health and Wellness Program, now known as “Start Well”, based on two evidence-based practices, the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Model and the Pyramid Model

2018

Start Well implemented

Our Vision and Mission:

Our Vision: All young children in Orange County have healthy social and emotional development and access to early mental health supports.

Our Mission: The Program supports ECE providers and families to ensure they are skilled and competent in providing a nurturing environment focused on social and emotional well-being and behavioral health of all children.

Our goals are to:

Early care and education providers deliver research-based practices which promote children’s social and emotional development, prevent challenging behaviors and identify early mental health needs.
Parents and ECE providers have a strong responsive relationship with each other to support the social and emotional development and mental well-being of children.
Parents understand social and emotional development and are able to support their children’s mental health needs.
Children have access to responsive adults in a nurturing environment to develop their resiliency and social-emotional well-being.
The systems that support young children are more closely integrated and linked.