The work of parenting is tough enough, even when all is going well. But when a child has mental health issues, raising a little one can seem almost impossible. That’s how it felt at times for Richmond mom Ana Salinas. When her adopted daughter was 2, the toddler suffered from separation anxiety and other issues that kept her from enjoying playing with other children.
But now, three years later, after receiving help from the Early Childhood Mental Health Program, the change Salinas has seen in her daughter’s behavior is like “night and day.”
At a recent block party to celebrate the center’s 50th anniversary of serving west Contra Costa County children, Salinas was able to sit at a table and chat with a visitor while her daughter, now 5, enjoyed a bouncy house with other kids.
For Salinas, the program has been a guiding light throughout her parenting journey with her daughter, who she brought to the center shortly after adopting her.
“I don’t know of any other program that would let us bring her for so much time,” Salinas said. “She’s benefited so much, especially from the Comprehensive Therapeutic Preschool.”
Staff members at the center say the preschool, which offers children one-on-one play therapy, is one of their most impactful programs and is especially helpful for children who may be struggling in a school setting. Salinas credited the school with helping her daughter break out of her shell and become more social around kids her age.
Early Childhood Mental Health Program
200 24th St., Richmond
Phone: 510-412-9200
Email: officeadmin@ecmhp.org
Salinas understands that some parents may be hesitant to talk about their children’s mental health, but for her it’s simple: “If your child needs help, it’s your job to find them the support they need,” she said. “If you don’t want the problem to get any bigger, getting help shouldn’t even be a question. It’s not a show of weakness for your child to be in therapy.”
The center specializes in early childhood development and trauma therapy for children from birth up to age 8 and offers parenting support groups. The center’s Perinatal Circle of Care program also helps pregnant clients and parents of babies up to a year old navigate doctor visits and any perinatal needs.
“We’re able to work with them on emotional regulation, being able to help them focus,” said Vanice Robinson, the center’s operations and communications manager. “So that when they are able to go back into the regular school setting, they’ll be able to succeed there.”
How can a toddler already have mental health issues?
Many people are unaware that even young children sometimes need mental health support — even before they are old enough to talk, explained Jeffrey Sloan, the center’s executive director.
“I think part of the important mission we have is to create awareness around the extreme importance of mental health support during [early childhood],” Sloan said. “The detachment that takes place during that time sets the tone for how that child is going to navigate their life, family, society, all moving forward.”
But, as Salinas pointed out, there can often be a negative stigma around conversations regarding early childhood mental health treatments. Some parents may not understand the importance of seeking help for their children, while others may avoid it because they feel ashamed.
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If that initial (parent-child) attachment is hindered by poverty, abuse, or an absent parent, it shifts the whole trajectory of that child’s life, emotional life, economic life.
— Jeffrey Sloan, ECMHP executive director
“[Children] 0 to 5 is oftentimes a forgotten population, because people think that kids are resilient, they bounce right back, that (those situations) don’t affect them,” he sais. “But it really does affect them.”
Children still reeling from pandemic isolation
The shutdowns of the pandemic have had a long-lasting impact on young children, according to Reni Taylor, program director at the center’s Comprehensive Therapeutic Preschool. During the pandemic, the program expanded its mental health consultation services across Contra Costa County.
“COVID babies, they haven’t had any experience with social engagements, they don’t know how to engage with people, with peers, with adults,” Taylor said.
Those who qualify through the state Medi-Cal program are eligible for free services at the center. The program serves an average of 300 families annually and has a waitlist for future clients.
While the time a family must wait for services varies throughout the year, on average it can take several weeks to get an appointment. For more information, email referrals@ecmhp.org, or call (510) 508-1255.
