Governor Maura Healey announced earlier this month $5 million in grants to expand early childhood mental health consultation services for children, families, educators and early education providers across Massachusetts. Through the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), five regional organizations have been selected to provide statewide Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) services.
The grants will help early education and care programs access specialized consultation better support children’s social-emotional development, promote school readiness, strengthen classroom environments and connect families with additional services when needed. Grantees will work with programs to implement trauma-informed policies and practices, strengthen educators’ ability to identify and respond to behavioral, developmental, and mental health needs, and implement evidence-based positive behavior supports. They will also help programs build stronger partnerships with families through individualized behavior support plans, referrals to community-based services, and strategies that support children’s success both in the classroom and at home.
“Mental health challenges continue to affect children across Massachusetts, and these grants will help educators and families better support their mental health, improve learning and connect young children with services that can make a lasting difference,” said Governor Maura Healey.
Mental health consultants work directly with educators, families and early education programs to strengthen classroom environments and provide evidence-based strategies that support children’s healthy development. Services include educator coaching, classroom observations, behavior support planning, and connections to community-based resources such as Early Intervention, special education, and behavioral health services when additional support is needed.
The FY27 Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation grant recipients are:
- Collaborative for Educational Services: $1,157,712
- Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC): $1,174,019
- Empower, Inc.: $1,004,892
- Justice Resource Institute (JRI): $906,447
- Walker, Inc.: $706,930
Together, these organizations will provide statewide coverage and partner with licensed early education and care programs, including family child care, group and school-age programs, public preschool classrooms, and Head Start programs.
