ECIN has launched interventions with key partner organizations across education, health, and community settings in Washington, DC.
Our approach is a unique integration of research and practice, allowing ECIN to learn as we go and leverage the best available insights from the community. We continue to source innovations for future interventions.
Check back soon to learn more about our most recent innovations, including the D.C. Preschool Development Grant (PDG).
HealthySteps at Children’s National Community Health Centers
HealthySteps embeds an early childhood mental health specialist within the primary care clinic to engage with families at each routine pediatric visit from birth to three years of age. ECIN's HealthySteps DC model provides caregivers with behavioral health intervention sessions and full-time case management support.
Mindful Parenting Innovation at Educare DC
At Educare DC, an early learning center in Ward 7, ECIN offers "mindful parenting" workshops and supports the delivery of a curriculum that focuses on self-control, self-esteem, emotional awareness, problem-solving, and social interactions.
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) at AppleTree Public Charter Schools
ECIN has expanded its partnership with AppleTree to eight campuses, each of which serves communities with high rates of community trauma and violence, to implement and evaluate the impact of high-quality early childhood mental health consultation on school environment, teacher effectiveness, and student behavior.
Collaborating to Reinforce Community Resilience East of the River
Recently awarded a Place-Based Grant from DC Health, ECIN will work alongside the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative to facilitate social networking within four neighborhoods in Ward 8, helping families connect to resources and community providers in the social services, workforce development, and healthcare networks.
Integrated Emotional Well-Being for Perinatal Women in Centering Groups
In partnership with Mary’s Center and Johns Hopkins University, ECIN is exploring ways to integrate emotional well-being and mental health promotion for women receiving Centering Pregnancy and Centering Parenting content in order to prevent the negative maternal and infant outcomes associated with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The Centering models empower women to improve their health and their babies’ health through a supportive group environment. Spanish-speaking Latina perinatal women will be a special focus of this project.
Family Wellbeing Program
The Family Wellbeing Program (FWP) is a multigenerational program offering a range of services designed to support caregiver and child mental health concerns within two early childhood education centers in DC. The FWP team consists of a psychiatrist, child therapist, mindfulness instructor, and family advocate serving children and families each week at Educare and AppleTree. Providers within the FWP work in consultation with one another, and provide unique services to families (e.g., mindful parenting workshops, adult therapy, dyadic parent-child therapy, peer-led trauma-informed parenting groups) aimed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of both children and their parents.
Past Work
Integrated Mental Health Care for Pregnant Women at MedStar Washington Hospital Center
This intervention embedded a maternal and child mental health clinician in the high-risk prenatal clinic at MedStar Washington Hospital Center to serve women with HIV, multiple medical problems, high rates of social stress, and high risk for mental illness and addiction. We are exploring partnerships with other innovative health providers in DC to address perinatal mental health.
Evaluating the Impact of Financial Interventions at Martha’s Table
ECIN is working with Martha's Table to provide research and evaluation assistance that bridges silos, reduces redundancy, and optimizes DC-wide evaluation efforts within early childcare/education settings. ECIN and Martha’s Table are also exploring opportunities to partner around parent and teacher wellness efforts.