Child Focus, Inc. has long valued the importance of Early Childhood Mental Health. As such, we are dedicated to expanding and improving our services each year. Child Focus, Inc. has the unique privilege to have a team of three mental health professionals who specialize in serving the early childhood population. This team of professionals is made possible through the funding received from Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board, the United Way, and the FAST TRAC System of Care (SAMHSA). The Early Childhood Therapists at Child Focus offer a myriad of services, including: administrative consultation, classroom consultation, intensive individual interventions, classroom and group prevention services, therapy services, and case management.
Despite funding cuts, Child Focus, Inc. and Clermont County have worked to ensure that Head Start and area child care centers are still provided with consultation and prevention services. The team has been able to secure funding from the Mental Health and Recovery Board to maintain three part time consultants to serve Clermont County. Moreover, Child Focus, Inc. has recently submitted a grant proposal through the United Way to fund an additional consultant focusing on serving children involved in the Help Me Grow program. Through the Coordinator of Mental Health in Early Childhood’s involvement in the Early Childhood Coordinating Council (EC3), the birth to three population was able to be identified as an underserved population for mental health. The Mental Health in Early Childhood team has been providing support for at risk children and families in Clermont County for over 10 years and has built a solid reputation in the community. Frequently ECMH team members receive calls from parents, teachers, or center directors seeking support and consultation services. Child Focus, Inc. is one of the few agencies in the region that is willing and able to provide mental health services for the very young. A common theme during phone calls with parents is that they have sought services elsewhere, but were turned away because their child was too young. Child Focus, Inc. has the distinct privilege of having three full time staff members who specialize in social-emotional development and mental health in early childhood.
