This is Part II of a two-part series. While it is encouraged participants attend both sessions, it is not required for participants to attend one session in order to be eligible to attend the other. To register for Part I, please click here.

This two-part training is designed for early childhood mental health providers seeking to deepen their understanding of adult mental health and its impact on young children (ages 0–5) and family systems. While participants are expected to have foundational knowledge of common adult mental health conditions, this training focuses on the role of severe mental illness (e.g., bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders) and personality-related patterns in parenting contexts.

Session 2 focuses on practical application, including strategies for engaging caregivers experiencing mental health challenges, addressing provider bias and stigma, and supporting access to care. Participants will learn to identify risk and protective factors and apply strengths-based, family-centered approaches to promote resilience and recovery in both caregivers and children. The training emphasizes culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and relationship-based practices that support both caregiver well-being and healthy child development.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Recognize and reflect on provider biases and stigma related to caregivers with mental health challenges.
• Apply engagement strategies to effectively work with caregivers experiencing mental health challenges.
• Identify common barriers to accessing adult mental health treatment and describe strategies to support access.
• Apply a strengths-based, family-centered framework to identify risk and protective factors and support resilience.