Mental Health SDHSA Networking Report - Facilitated by NESD Head Start
March 12, 2015
10:00 am –2:00 p.m. (CST)
AmericInn – Chamberlain
 Attendance:
Carol Peach, NESD; Kari DeGreef, OCDC; Nancy Miller, USD; Mendy Herke, ICAP; Nicki Kroeger, YFS;
Kaitlin Mallow, YFS; Melanie Anderson, YFS; April Grass, RST Head Start; Donna Larvie, RST Head Start;
Megan Larson, TTA
 Discussion Topics
 Mental Health Policies / Challenging Behaviors Policies / Children on IEPs and behavior plans
Discussed policies and procedures used at each program and how they relate to children on IEPs and ideas for
communication between Head Start, School Districts, Mental Health Providers, and families. One idea discussed
was the possibility of using Teaching Strategies GOLD Team Central to communicate with families and other
professionals working with the child on an IEP.
 Teaching Strategies GOLD - The COMMUNICATION tab includes the communication features of
Teaching Strategies GOLD®. You can create and view newsletters and calendars, and approve individuals’
access as Team Central members.
 Forms / Plans – shared program forms and procedures relating to mental health
 Sharing mental health information with families – shared types of newsletters (program or local site) and
frequency sent out and other ideas to get mental health information to families. Send out checklist of
available brochures, etc. and parents return list with boxes check to request the ones they want.

Social Emotional Curricula – Discussed curriculums used and how each program uses them in their program.
 Second Step - Most programs in attendance use this - http://www.cfchildren.org/second-step/early-learning
Help your littlest learners harness their energy and potential by teaching them to listen, pay attention, control
their behavior, and get along with others. When students enter kindergarten with the self-regulation and
social-emotional skills taught in the research-based Second Step program, they’re set up for success.
 Kimochi (KEY.MO.CHEE) means “feeling” in Japanese. Kimochis® are an engaging and effective way to
introduce the fourth “R”—reading, writing, arithmetic, and RELATIONSHIPS—into a child’s life
Mental HealthThe Kimochis® Educator’s Tool Kit is a universal, school-based, Social-Emotional Learning
(SEL) program designed to give children the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to recognize and manage
their emotions, demonstrate caring and concern for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible
decisions, and handle challenging situations constructively. – http://kimochiseducation.tumblr.com

Communicating with Families and Staff
 Remind 101 is now Remind - https://www.remind.com/learn-more - Remind is a free, safe, easy-to-use
communication tool that helps teachers connect instantly with students and parents. Phone numbers are
always kept private so information is safe and secure.
 One Call Now - http://www.onecallnow.com/education/overview - Notifications from One Call Now make it
easy for schools to quickly communicate with parents, teachers, staff and communities.
 School Reach - http://www.schoolreach.com/ - School Notification Systems for Parent Communications
 Reports
 Megan Larson – Booze / Allen / Hamilton – SD Training & Technical Assistance ECE Center
Megan shared the South Dakota Head Start 2nd Quarter TTA Report indicating they had conducted 24 total
events. (17 technical assistance and 7 training events.) They were very busy in January with 10 events. The full
report is available through your SDHSA Board member or Megan Larson.
 Upcoming South Dakota Events
 Home Visiting Institute - April 23-24, 2015 – Ramkota in Pierre, SD. 8:30-4:30 Thursday,
8:30-3:30 Friday
 CLASS Observation Reliability Training – May 20-21. Pierre, SD
 Resources
 State Resources
 South Dakota Council of Mental Health Centers, Inc. http://www.sdmentalhealth.org/default.htm
 South Dakota Kids Mental Healthhttp://sdkidsmentalhealth.org/
 National Alliance on Mental Illness http://www.nami.org/MSTemplate.cfm?Site=NAMI_South_Dakota
 Federal / National Resources
 Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/center/mental-health
 Center on the Social & Emotional Foundations for Early Learning http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/
 Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
http://www.ecmhc.org/index.html
In recent years, there has been growing concern among many in the early care and education (ECE) community that
increasing numbers of very young children are manifesting behavior problems severe enough to warrant their removal
from their preschool programs. Early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) is emerging as an effective
strategy for addressing these challenging behaviors and supporting young children's social-emotional development in
ECE settings. The tools and resources in this section may be used as a guide for program staff in designing and
implementing effective mental health services for families.
 Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation – Material for Families




Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation – An Evaluation Tool Kit
Facilitating a Referral for Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Within Early
Head Start and Head Start
Finding a Mental Health Provider for Children and Families in Your Early Head Start/Head
Start Program
What Works: A Study of Effective Mental Health Consultation Programs