Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties
Awards $9,000 to Tykes & Teens for Infant Mental Health Consultation
The Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties has awarded a $9,000 grant to Tykes & Teens, a leading provider of the highest quality, evidence-based mental health services and programs for children and adolescents for 25 years. The funding will support the agency’s Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program. Tykes & Teens is the only provider of this high-fidelity, evidence-based programming on the Treasure Coast, and the only Infant Mental Health provider in the region serving clients from newborn to age five and their families.
“We are grateful to the Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties for their support as we collaboratively strive to promote a long-term system’s change for children, families and the community as a whole by fostering social emotional development in early childcare settings,” says Tykes & Teens CEO Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with Tykes & Teens to support children and families in Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties,” said Marsha B. Powers, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee Counties. “Our collaboration will provide additional supports to our Early Learning providers and the children and families we serve.”
As part of its Infant Mental Health programming and services for individuals and families, Tykes & Teens collaborates with childcare centers throughout the Treasure Coast by providing Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). The goal of IECMHC is to build the capacity of adult caregivers to strengthen and support the healthy social and emotional development of young children within the classroom setting. Through this evidence-based prevention approach, highly specialized child development therapists work with childcare center caregivers to promote social competence and addressing challenging behavior, early and before formalized intervention is needed. Through on-site Mental Health Consultation, therapists are able to create safe relationships with childcare center staff to address teacher stress, use of culturally responsive classroom practices, and the use of a trauma-informed care lens.
For more information on Tykes & Teens’ Infant Mental Health services, visit www.tykesandteens.org/infant-mental-health or call 772-220-3439.
To learn more about how you can support children’s mental health in our community, visit www.tykesandteens.org/give-help or donate now.
About Tykes & Teens
Tykes & Teens has been a leading mental health provider for children and adolescent evidence-based programs and services for 25 years. Our passion and commitment are to empowering children and strengthening families by ensuring that all children have access to high quality counseling and mental health services, regardless of financial status. Our mission is prioritizing children’s mental health in our families, schools and communities through a wide range of prevention, education, and treatment programs and services. We also advocate for increased awareness of mental health to remove the stigma and shame often associated with seeking mental health treatment. Since our inception, we have provided affordable quality mental health services for more than 60,000 children in need across the Treasure Coast from more than 50 service locations, including outpatient offices in Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach, on-site services in all Martin County schools, and in schools in Okeechobee and Indian River counties, as well as collaboration with numerous community partners, in addition to virtual telehealth services. We have continued to offer our services and programs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual telehealth care. We accept most insurance, private payments, and we are a Medicaid-approved provider. We have successfully administered a sliding fee scale for those in need when necessary for more than 20 years. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency, we also provide $750,000 in unreimbursed services to the communities we serve each year. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
