ECIN | Policy

Promoting Policies and Systems That Support Every Child's Potential

ECIN impacts systems and policy, through policy research, solution formation, and advocacy. ECIN works closely with partners and government and agency leaders to ensure that law, policy, and financing optimally support young children and their families. ECIN particularly focuses on the following policy issues and goals. They are not in rank order:

Certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)
Advance accessibility, sustainability and workforce placement of graduates from the Family Leadership track

Community Mental Health & Peer Support Workers
Establish sustainable funding and policies to integrate early childhood community mental health and peer support workforce in clinical and non-clinical settings

Early Childhood Educator Wellbeing
Advocate for state-wide policies and funding to strengthen educator wellbeing, resilience and workforce sustainability

Family-Based Pediatric Primary Care & HealthySteps
Advocate for new funding approaches to provide comprehensive clinical and non-clinical services for families with children birth to three in pediatric primary care

Family Wellbeing
Enhance knowledge and use of protective factors that strengthen wellbeing and healthy child development, including expanding Parent Cafes in DC

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC)
Ensure District infant, toddler, and Pre-K classrooms have policy and funding supports to implement and sustain IECMHC

Mindfulness for Caregivers
Identify policy and funding opportunities to expand culturally attuned mindfulness classes for Black and Brown caregivers in DC and grow the workforce

Perinatal Mental Health
Ensure adequate financing and policy supports for perinatal mental health and perinatal mood and anxiety disorder screening, prevention, and intervention across all settings

Explore some of our policy reports and contributions through the years:

2021: A Path Forward: Transforming the Public Behavioral Health System

The public behavioral health system for children and families in the District of Columbia needs to take a new path forward. This report is a blueprint for creating a successful public behavioral health system, one that supports children and families and strengthens our entire community. The recommendations, including solutions specific to early childhood, are informed by the expertise and experiences of DC youth, parents, experts, and best practices from across the country.

2021: Behavioral Health Transformation in the District of Columbia

The District has announced major changes to the public behavioral health system, including the transition of behavioral health services to the city's Medicaid managed care program in fiscal year 2023. These changes present a significant opportunity to improve the public behavioral health system for children and families in the District. Children's National Hospital and the Early Childhood Innovation Network offer recommendations and strategies to achieve a fully comprehensive, equitable, inclusive, and high-quality behavioral health system.

Vibrant and Healthy Kids: National Academies Report

This national report builds upon previous research and reports and provides a brief overview of stressors that affect childhood development and health, a framework for applying current brain and development science to the real world, a roadmap for implementing tailored interventions, and recommendations about improving systems to better align with our understanding of the significant impact of health equity. ECIN contributed information during a public meeting as an invited content expert.