Date: 07/14/2014
Final
Mental and Behavioral Health and Physical Wellness
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL READINESS LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION
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01:35 PM -- Mental and Behavioral Health and Physical Wellness
Representative Pettersen called the commission back to order and invited the panelists to the table. The panel included: Ms. Mary Anne Snyder, Director, Office of Early Childhood, CDHS; Ms. Stephanie Wasserman, Executive Director, Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition; Dr. Ayelet Talmi, Associate Director, Irving Harris Program in Child Development and Infant Mental Health, University of Colorado School of Medicine; and Dr. Barbara Smith, Principle Investigator, Pyramid Plus: The Colorado Center for Social Emotional Competence and Inclusion. The panelists introduced themselves and began their presentations on mental and behavioral health and physical wellness.
Ms. Snyder discussed the CDHS efforts to support mental and physical health and funding from the Rose Family Foundation. She discussed the expulsion rate from child care and behavioral problems that arise in children with mental health needs.
Dr. Talmi presented on integrated care for behavioral, mental, and physical health (Attachment S). She discussed the lifelong health impacts of adverse childhood experiences and the positive effects of early intervention and prevention. The panel discussed the prevalence and definition of adverse experiences. Dr. Talmi talked about serving children and families and how mental health is often provided in the context of primary care and physical health. She discussed the need for workforce training so primary care providers are aware of mental health needs. Dr. Talmi presented on the Healthy Steps for Young Children program and the Baby and Me program. She discussed how these programs build relationships with health care providers and give an opportunity for preventative care and screening. Representative Pettersen asked how they identify families in need and how they screen. Dr. Talmi discussed the need for universal screening.
02:01 PM
Dr. Smith began her presentation on the Pyramid Plus Center (Attachment T). She described the origin of the center and the need to address the fact that preschoolers were being expelled at a rate three times greater than children in K-12 education settings. She mentioned the impact expulsion has on working parents and on the child. She discussed the fact that many graduates of higher education in early childhood report that they are unable to deal with behavioral issues exhibited by children. She discussed how emotional and social skills are just as important for school readiness as academic preparation. She then highlighted the relationship between preschool aggression and aggression at age 10, and noted that this is more indicative of future behavior than IQ. If aggressive behavior is not addressed early, she said that interventions will have a poor chance of success. She then discussed evidence-based practices to prevent and intervene in preschooler behavioral problems. Dr. Smith then described the Pyramid Plus Approach. She then discussed the outcomes from using the Pyramid Plus Approach. She highlighted the fact that the program builds local capacity by certifying trainers and coaches to work with local providers. Dr. Smith then responded to questions from the commission.
14EarlyChild0714AttachT.pdf
02:25 PM
Ms. Wasserman began her presentation on childhood immunization and the work of the Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition (Attachment U). She provided an overview on the importance of childhood vaccinations and the cost savings from immunization. She stated that Colorado ranks 22nd in the nation in terms of rate of vaccination. She said that Colorado is in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic and discussed the increased prevalence of measles nationwide. She discussed the cause of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Ms. Wasserman then discussed the different types of exemptions to mandatory school immunization. She highlighted legislation from prior sessions concerning immunization and discussed the recommendations of various task forces and stakeholders groups. Ms. Wasserman and the other panelists responded to questions from the commission.
14EarlyChild0714AttachU.pdf
02:49 PM
Representative Pettersen opened up the meeting for public testimony, but nobody was signed up to testify. Representative Pettersen talked about the expectations for the working groups.
03:04 PM
The commission adjourned.