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EEC and Office of the Child Advocate launch trauma-responsive training initiative and expand behavioral health supports
Summary
EEC briefed the board on expanded early childhood behavioral-health staffing, its consultation grant network, and a new interagency trauma-responsive training called STREET (Strategic Trauma Responsive Early Education Training) developed with the Office of the Child Advocate and partner organizations.
The Board of Early Education and Care heard a multi-part briefing on mental and behavioral health initiatives for young children, educators and programs across the Commonwealth. Commissioner and EEC staff framed behavioral health supports as a top priority and described staff additions, expanded grants and a new partnership with the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) to deliver trauma-responsive training and technical assistance.
EEC described a growing in-house behavioral-health team deployed regionally to provide direct support to programs, and an expanded Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation grant network that supplies classroom observation, individualized assessment, coaching and family advocacy. Amy Smith Seoli (EEC behavioral-health lead) said consultants also embed family-support and behavioral-support specialists to help teachers implement strategies in real time.
Maria Mossaidis, director of the Office of the Child Advocate, and Audrey Smolkin of the Center on Child Well-Being and Trauma described a multi-level training initiative called STREET (Strategic Trauma Responsive Early Education Training). The initiative will deploy an online (LMS) grounding course for providers, a full-day training for EEC field staff and a deeper train-the-trainer series to create regional champions who can deliver follow-up community-of-practice sessions in each region. Materials will be translated into Spanish and other languages; sessions will emphasize trauma-responsive practice, racial equity and culturally affirmative approaches.
EEC said the STREET LMS modules were scheduled to go live in the month following the board meeting, with regional staff training beginning immediately and a first cohort of champion trainers completing coursework in the spring. The department also flagged development of an "inclusion and support toolkit" designed to reduce exclusionary discipline and provide quick, practical resources for busy classroom and family-child-care settings.
Board members commended the work and emphasized the need to scale supports, link agency efforts across sectors and ensure programs know these resources exist. Staff said many initiatives are funded through federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) resources and other appropriations; they also cited ongoing collaboration with the Department of Mental Health, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Department of Public Health.
Ending
EEC said the work will continue to expand in 2025, with a focus on building regional capacity, exploring crisis-response options, increasing grantee capacity and better integrating supports across state agencies.
