Dr. Alexandra M. Harrison M.D. and her multi disciplinary team of medical and educational professionals have developed a comprehensive Infant Mental Health Curriculum presented over five days using video, lecture, and clinical experiences tailored to their audience. The flexibility of the course structure allows a wide spectrum of adult learners to gain knowledge and expertise in the foundations of IMH and how they can use these new skills in their everyday practice.

INITIATIVES

At this time, SCC includes two major initiatives. The first initiative is to develop and maintain long-term relationships with caregivers of children in institutions in developing countries during which SCC will provide free training and educational services via periodic visits and regular contact between visits through electronic means, such as Skype. The second initiative is developing a basic Intensive Infant-Parent Mental Health Course that can be modified to meet the needs of a particular caregiving institution (the “Mini-Course”) so that such institution may eventually incorporate the Mini Course into its regular practices, with ongoing support from SCC. These two initiatives are linked by their common intent to supporting child caregivers through mental health education in the context of a long-term relationship. 

What We've Achieved

  • An ongoing relationship with the Christian Hospital and Nursing School of Kasganj in North India to provide IMH instruction to nursing students and staff working in maternity wards.

  • Provision of long-term mental health education to caregivers at the Deenabandhu Children's Home and School in Karnataka, South India.

  • Deepened the primary relationship between mothers and their babies by providing  an introductory IMH Workshop in South India.

  • Working within a unique educational model, SCC has provided ongoing education and support to caregivers in El Salvador that includes semi-annual visits, monthly Skype conferences and written support plans for adults and children in the Children's Homes of San Salvador.

  • The development and initialization of a controlled, multi-site study on the impact of the IMH Course on nurses behavior when working with maternity patients in North India.

  • Developed and implemented Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) workshops for maternity staff in Mombasa, Kenya and Kasganj, India.

  • Published an article last year in the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH) Journal around provision of education and training for child caregivers worldwide through visits and Skype conversations within a long-term relationship.

  • Presentation of our work to an international audience in 2016 at the WAIMH Conference in Prague.

  • Presentation of our work each year at the U.C. Davis Extension Infant/Parent Mental Health Fellowship Program 2012-Present in Napa California

  • Presentation of our work each year at the U. Mass, Boston Infant/Parent Mental Health Fellowship Program 2012-Present