Initiative

ARCh Project

The ARCh Project partners with agencies around the state to improve infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) outcomes of North Carolina children ages birth to five by increasing access to services and advancing workforce capacity to effectively meet their needs. Undergirding all activities is a goal of reducing disparities in access to IECMH practices across our state that are developmentally sensitive, culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based. From Fall of 2022 until Fall of 2027, we will expand mental health consultation to pediatricians and early interventionists; support the development of a statewide childcare consultation model; increase equitable access to IECMH endorsement; and provide training and supervision to professionals across the state in a wide range of IECMH topics, including screening, referrals and cross-disciplinary collaboration, diagnostic assessment, reflective supervision, secondary traumatic stress, and more.

Home Pathways Action Map ARCh Project

Fast Facts

Relevant Actions Action 4.1, Action 4.6, Action 4.8
State or Local?

State
Counties

All
Lead Agency

Center for Child and Family Health
Type of Agency

Nonprofit
Racial Equity Lens
  • ARCh project partners with a Family Led Group to review curriculum and activities through the Family Voice Report and through the Irving Harris Foundation’s Diversity Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children, and Families. 
  • ARCh also disaggregates data by race to identify disparities in access to project activities/trainings and to guide future planning.
Community Voice
  • ARCh project partners with a Family Led Group to review curriculum and activities through the Family Voice Report and through the Irving Harris Foundation’s Diversity Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children, and Families. 
  • ARCh also partners with community groups such as the state Department of Child and Family Well-Being, the Infant Toddler Program, the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Agency to identify needed workforce supports and how to provide them. 
Impact
  • ARCh project received funding from SAMHSA and began implementation in Fall 2022.
Next Steps
  • In the first year of the project, ARCh activities are focused on learning directly from the state IECMH workforce about its needs for training and support and responding directly. 
  • Second year activities include scholarships to increase equitable access to participate in learning collaboratives for Reflective Supervision (through NCIMHA), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (through the NC Child Treatment Program), and Attachment and Bio-behavioral Catchup.
Primary Partners
  • North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (NCIMHA)
  • North Carolina Psychiatric Access Line (NC PAL)
  • North Carolina Child (NC Child)
  • Division of Child and Family Wellbeing (DCFW)
  • North Carolina Child Treatment Program (NC CTP)
Contact

Mary Wise-Kriplani

Active Counties