Colorado Foundations is CoAIMH’s 8-Module foundational training for infant and early childhood professionals. The course is unique in its ability to promote a shared understanding and common language of infant and early childhood mental health principles to all professionals who touch the lives of infants and toddlers and their families. In doing so, Colorado’s early childhood community will be equipped and locally partnered to provide a continuum of high-quality, consistent infant and early childhood mental health supports to children and families.
(PLEASE NOTE that Colorado Foundations is not intended to replace advanced clinical knowledge and training that would prepare a professional to provide evidenced-based clinical treatment.)
The intended audience of the course is Early Intervention providers and service coordinators, early care and education providers, home visitors, public health nurses, and other early childhood providers. Further, the curriculum content supports the Competencies associated with the Infant Mental Health Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health (IMH-E®), which facilitates the growth of necessary knowledge for those professionals seeking the IMH-E®.
The course is designed to be delivered locally and in person. Colorado Foundations can be delivered in a format that best meet the needs of the community, e.g., a 8-week/month learning collaborative that allows for a deep dive into each Module at each session, a 3-day intensive training that covers 2-3 modules each day, etc. The complete training offers approximately 18-20 contact hours of continuing education, depending on the chosen training format.
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Trainings Provided
(since 2017)
(since 2017)
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IECMH Professionals Trained
(English & Spanish)
(English & Spanish)
Course Overview
Module 1: Introduction to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Goal: Setting the stage for learning about infant and early childhood mental health
Module 2: Understanding the Importance of Culture in Infant Mental Health
Goal: The role of culture in childhood development
Module 3: Child and Family Development
Goal: Developmental milestones and implications for infant and early childhood mental health
Module 4: Relationships
Goal: Relationships as a vehicle for infant and early childhood mental health and well-being
Module 5: Building a Brain – Biology and Environment
Goal: The connection between brain development and infant and early childhood mental health
Module 6: Early Adversity and Toxic Stress
Goal: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how bodies respond to stress
Module 7: Self-Care
Goal: Self-care for early childhood professionals (based extensively on the work of the Devereux Center for Resilient Children)
Module 8: Reflective Practice
Goal: How and why to engage in reflective practice
I want to bring CO Foundations to my community.
CO Foundations Master Trainers
*Bilingual (Spanish-speaking)
The following IECMH professionals have been trained on the curriculum and receive regular technical assistance from CoAIMH:
Krista Abate: Jefferson/Denver
*Alexandra Alfonso: Arapahoe/Denver Metro
Sue Ammen: Jefferson/Denver
*Elisa Aucancela: Douglas/Denver Metro
Christy Balentine: Arapahoe
Shannon Bekman: Denver Metro
Colleen Bredell: Arapahoe
*Lucero Castro-Frederick: Weld
*Luisanna Chavez: Jefferson/Adams/Denver Metro
*Jackie Cordova: Jefferson/Denver Metro
Margaret Davis: Boulder/Adams
Mary Dodd: Montezuma
Andrea Foote: Boulder
Emily Fried: Boulder/Denver Metro
Andrea Harbeck: Denver
Noelle Hause: Weld
Mariah Hofmeister: Boulder
Lauren Jassil: Arapahoe
*Alejandra Lopez: Jefferson/Denver Metro
Heather McFadden: Chaffee
Sarah McNamee: Jefferson/Denver Metro
Emily McNeil: Jefferson/Denver Metro
*Cecilia Palacios: Weld
*Meg Picard: Denver Metro
*Dora Fernandez Perez: El Paso
Sarah Romack: Chaffee
Michelle Roy: Denver Metro
Kelly Stainback-Tracy: Jefferson/Denver Metro
Ashley Sward: Denver Metro
*Buffy Trent: Larimer
*Deborah Young: Boulder/Weld/Jefferson/Denver Metro
Julia Zabolio: Pueblo
Colorado Foundations Master Trainers receive regular technical assistance from CoAIMH Staff and Trainer Advisors:
Melissa Buchholz, Psy.D., Authorized RS/C Provider for CoAIMH’s IMH-E®
*Paulina Erices, BS, MS, IBCLC, RLC, IMH-E® Infant Family Specialist
*Evelin Gomez, PhD
Ayelet Talmi, PhD, IMH-E® Infant Mental Health Mentor-Clinical
Thank you to our sponsors
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