Community Healthlink, Inc.

A Member of UMass Memorial Health Care

Special Initiatives

Together For Kids - TFK

A 2001 Together For Kids survey of 300 children ages 2 to 5 years found that 18% were at-risk for being expelled from childcare as a result of “challenging behaviors.” These behaviors include biting, hitting, aggression, temper tantrums, inattentiveness, impulsivity, destruction of property, social isolation, and developmental delays.

In response, the TFK Coalition, a community network of parents, providers, and advocates, created a model of support for children that includes mental health consultation, teacher training, parent skill development, and improved communication between the childcare center and parents.

TFK’s goal is to address the needs of children with challenging behaviors in early childcare learning environments through mental health consultation. The Together For Kids project evaluation has results which demonstrate that these children can make rapid progress and overcome delays with this support.

Primary funding for TFK has been provided by The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts and The United Way of Central Massachusetts.

TFK DELIVERS RESULTS

Recently a Brandeis University study of the Together For Kids Project assessed the known and estimated costs and benefits of providing mental health consultation services to preschool-age children in early education and child care centers in Massachusetts.

• As many as 33 percent of all preschool-age children exhibit challenging behaviors. Alarmingly few receive treatment.

• Interventions for preschoolers with problem behaviors effectively reduce these problems. Quality preschool programs for young children - especially but not exclusively from low income families - increase their cognitive and school readiness skills. This reduces the need for a wide range of services in later years.

• There is a $3 return for every $1 invested in intervention services. 35 percent of children in four child care centers that serve low to moderate income families demonstrated clinical levels of behavior problems. The assignment of one half-time mental health consultant to each of the four child care centers had the following impacts:

• Teachers were trained on how to deal effectively with children with challenging behaviors. As a result their class management skills improved.

• The consultant provided treatment and other services to children and their parents and developed positive relationships with parents, staff and administrators.

• The mental health consultant model reduced behavior problems in children and improved the overall classroom environment for all children.

• The expulsion rate dropped to ZERO.

For detail about the TFK project and research results go to The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts website at: www.hfcm.org