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EARLY CHILDHOOD PEER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NETWORK

Peer Technical Assistance is:

  • A powerful process that promotes joint problem-solving.
  • A network of expert practitioners who bring firsthand experiences in developing, implementing, and evaluating integrated behavioral health programs.
  • A solution-focused approach tailored to issues identified by the technical assistance recipient.

Perhaps the most important contribution successful program and evaluation initiatives can make is to share lessons learned. Casey Family Programs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have launched the Early Childhood Peer Technical Assistance Network (ECPTAN) to provide best practice experience from their innovative Starting Early Starting Smart initiative.

Starting Early Starting Smart expertise, available through ECPTAN, is drawn from the experience of developing and implementing SESS community-based programs. ECPTAN consultants have been integral in developing programs that capitalize on family strengths and support optimal development in those they serve-young children from birth to 7 years of age and families who are challenged by substance abuse and/or mental health problems.

ECPTAN consultants-expert practitioners with substantive, hands-on experience from the SESS programs-are available to provide peer-to-peer technical assistance to other community-based organizations that are committed to developing or enhancing integrated behavioral health services with culturally relevant interventions.

How Can ECPTAN Help A Program?

If you are working with families to handle the challenges of substance abuse or mental health problems, ECPTAN peer consultants can help you

  • Integrate culturally competent behavioral health services into early childhood education (child care, Head Start, etc.) and primary health care settings.
  • Include families as partners in all phases of program development, implementation, and evaluation.
  • Develop and apply family strengths-based approaches.
  • Meet the challenges faced by providers when values, practices, and competencies differ among partner agencies and between providers and families.

Are you finding the initial steps of strategy implementation challenging? ECPTAN peer consultants can help prepare your agency to

  • Assess community needs using culturally competent strategies.
  • Identify and engage stakeholders for sustainable collaborations.
  • Develop and implement strategic plans.
  • Design strategies to engage, recruit, and retain families from diverse populations.
  • Customize interventions and strategies to meet the unique cultural needs of families.
  • Develop evaluation strategies that reflect strengths and concerns of families and children from diverse populations.

How Much Does It Cost?

Casey Family Programs will bring an ECPTAN peer consultant team to your program at no cost.

Who Can Apply for ECPTAN Help?

Any Casey Family Programs Division or Regional Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-funded program, or community-based organization that serves families with young children and has or is in the process of developing integrated behavioral health programs. Priority will be given to those agencies that have begun to deliver integrated mental health/substance abuse services in early childhood or primary health care settings or have the capacity to move in that direction in the next year.

How Can One Obtain ECPTAN Services?

Contact the ECPTAN Project Coordinator at Casey Family Programs by
phone (202-467-4441) or
fax (202-467-4499) or
Email the "Information Request Form" to Vtruitt@casey.org

Early Childhood Peer Technical Assistance Network

INFORMATION REQUEST FORM

Please provide more information about ECPTAN. The challenges of greatest interest to our program are checked below:

Integrating behavioral health services into early childhood and primary health care settings

Building sustainable collaborations

Implementing strategic plans for integrated behavioral health initiatives

Developing culturally competent community needs assessment and environmental scans

Including families as partners in all phases of program development

Recruiting and retaining families from diverse populations

Customizing interventions and strategies to reflect culturally relevant issues, strengths, and needs

Developing family strengths-based approaches

Facilitating communication among child welfare, substance abuse, and behavioral health organizations and workers

Other___________________________________


Program Name__________________________________________________

Contact Person__________________________________________________

Position or Title__________________________________________________

Phone________________________________ Fax_______________________

Email__________________________________

Email to vtruitt@casey.org

Or complete the "Information Request Form" online and submit to Vtruitt@casey.org.

Or print and mail to:
Project Coordinator
Peer Technical Assistance Initiative
Early Childhood Peer Technical Assistance Network
Casey Family Programs
1808 Eye Street, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20006-2754