Month: May 2018

  • Elephant? What Elephant?

    Elephant? What Elephant?

    The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms tells us that “to sweep under the rug” dates from the mid-1900s and refers to that which we wish to hide, such as floor dust that has been gathered with a broom, and then — the doorbell rings announcing guests. I think the reasons for sweeping dust under a conveniently placed rug are fairly clear: I don’t want people to see this dirt, but…  Oh, what to do? I know, I’ll just sweep it under this rug and attend to it later. I’m sure I won’t forget it.  There. The room looks very nice now. I want people to see me as a responsible homeowner. I sure don’t want any doubts to arise about my good character!

    Over time, the phrase has come to refer to much more than the risk of embarrassment, now including anything we wish to avoid thinking about, discussing, or dealing with. But today, with vacuums and robotic floor-cleaners in our homes, we need something more obvious to carry the moral message. So, we now have the unmistakable metaphor of the elephant in the room, plus one that blends the old and new: the elephant under the rug.

    Of course, hiding an elephant is quite different than a bit of dust, which suggests that the more uncomfortable our darker thoughts, the more room they threaten to take up in our consciousness. The image of an out-sized elephant standing in even the largest of living rooms offers a rather compelling way for us to regard and reflect on the realities of troubling thoughts and the costs of ignoring them, particularly to our social selves, members not only of families and communities but also the societies in which we live. It is people who are the fabric of society: The more uneasy the people, the greater the number of uneasy people, the more wear and tear on the fabric. Considering the rug as a symbol of society itself, i.e., individuals who are all gathered and held by an intricately woven tapestry, it would stand to reason that the more unsettled the people, the greater the risk of thin spots and holes that will weaken and even threaten to destroy even the strongest fabric.

    Let’s get back to the elephant. Sometimes the elephant is small enough that, over time, it gets moved to the recesses — the dimmest corners of our minds and generally ignored. We might know it’s there, but we have ways to get around it, or we may just avoid that room in the house of our self. As long as nothing in our lives reminds us of the elephant’s presence, it can just stay where it is — hidden well enough from our everyday lives that its existence can be, at least for a time, denied.  OR, sometimes we actually know where the elephant is, its size, shape, which room it’s in, and the particulars of the rug that covers it. We may even acknowledge its being with us, but it’s just not worth bothering about because, well, we may not be totally comfortable with what that elephant represents, but, hey, can’t we just let some things be? We can have different beliefs, different opinions, but do we have to talk about the differences? After all, aren’t we really more similar than different? Some things are better left unexamined. Life is just … smoother that way.

    Well, maybe. But doesn’t that depend on who or what the elephant is representing? Sometimes we come to depend on the presence of a particular representational elephant. We don’t want to talk about its existence in our lives; we just don’t want anything to change. In fact, when threatened with the possibility of the rug being lifted up and ‘exposing’ our elephant, an attitude of quiet acceptance can turn rather quickly toward strongly voiced convictions, as in: “I think the elephant can stay right where it is. My rug still looks nice. I haven’t really noticed it bothering anybody. If there really are people who would object to a little bump in my rug, well, maybe it would be better if they just didn’t come to my house.”

    Hmmm.

    These scenarios are, at the least, somewhat discomforting. Lots to think about, to reflect on, but … some other time?

    Sure, that’s OK. The elephant will still be there, waiting.

    Because what I really want to consider is: What does it mean to totally ignore an elephant?

    Since I’ve never heard it suggested that the elephant under the rug is dead, I’m wondering what it’s like to be that elephant. What might the elephant think and feel about being so ignored? What might we learn if we could hear the elephant’s communication with itself about an hour after arriving at an open house hosted by the leaders of a special interest organization in your community?

    “How come I’m here? I thought I was invited, but everything tells me I wasn’t really welcome. Yes, that’s it, invited but not welcome. I was the first guest to arrive, so I found a rather nice spot at one end of the main gathering room in the house so that I could watch others arrive. Well, it sure didn’t take me very long to discover that I’m the only elephant here! The more I tried to meet the others, the more ignored I felt. I know now I don’t belong here. What do I do? I can’t just tiptoe out. It’s gotten pretty crowded in here. I’ll knock everything over. I might even step on somebody’s feet! I wish that I had just stayed home with my elephant friends, but I was really interested in this organization and wanted to meet some of its members. Silly me.”

    A few minutes go (slowly) by before the elephant continues:

    “I don’t really want to cause a scene. I’ll just have to wait until no one’s around. Oh, look! The edge of this nice rug is a bit puckered up. Let me just slip myself under the rug and wait till they all leave.”

    What happens next is quite challenging for the elephant. Best not to watch, though it seems quite odd that no one else seems to be watching either. Finally:

    “Phew. That was hard. I wonder if I’m well enough hidden. Well, at least they’re not staring at me now, so maybe if I just stay real still, I’ll be OK until they leave the room. Oh, I’m being ridiculous. Of course they can all see me here! I’m sure they’re all talking about me. I’m so big — and feeling bigger by the minute! Why did I think I could hide? This feels awful! I wish I could just disappear!”

    A seemingly looong time passes, with lots of guests coming and going. The elephant tries to remain very – um – inconspicuous:

    “Wow! It’s been hours, and still no one’s paying me any attention! Wait a minute, why aren’t they paying me any attention? Why aren’t they even acknowledging my presence, my realness? What do I do now???? How long am I going to have to hide like this????”

    More time passes. Then, the big bump in the rug appears to move a bit, as new feelings well up in our elephant:

    “Wait a minute here.  What if I don’t want to hide? What if I threw the rug off, got up, looked people in the eye and tried to get them to respond to me? Wait, what if their responses are horrible, hurtful? Can I stand that? Yeah, I guess I can. Then I could just leave, and go back to being me, the me I feel I really am. OK, I’ll just take a chance and try to remember that my embarrassment won’t last forever. Or will it?? What if I have to always be looking over my shoulder, always trying to make sure that I never again find myself in this position, always hoping that I don’t see these people again? What will I do then? Humph! Talk about hiding!!

    “So, what should I do? Protest or stay silent? How did my life suddenly get this hard? I could tell myself to mind my own business, stick to my own kind, but right this minute, I don’t really know what my “business” is!!

    “So, which one is most tolerable to me? Is there one where I don’t lose myself? That’s what I can’t let happen. I can’t leave here feeling that somehow this was my fault.

    Depending on which I choose, the results will be different, and either way I’m not going to be comfortable. What happens is going to leave with me. What happens is going to affect how I think and feel — about them, about the situation, about me.”

    After more than a few deep breaths:

    “Well, whatever I choose to do is going to be OK. It’s going to be me, my best next steps for right now. Yes, I’ll be OK.  I’m so glad I know that. Even if what’s happening right now feels horribly scary, I’ll still be me. I didn’t always know that, but I’m sure glad I know ME better now. I will still have my ME to be with ME. Period.

    “And, know what? Because I can understand and accept my ME, I can — maybe not right this minute, but later, when I’m not here in this predicament — I can try to understand how all these people felt when they saw me. Why? Because if I can do that, I can let go of how close I am to being really, really angry at what “they” are putting me through right now. I can do this.”

    As we continue to observe the bump, it stops moving. We wonder what will happen next; we look at our watches and see that we must leave. So we don’t know what’s going to happen next, but we can hope. And we can challenge ourselves and others with some questions and reflections:

    First, how did the elephant come to be there?! It’s probably safe to assume that whoever sent the invitations didn’t know it had been delivered to an elephant! The awkward reality of that would have been made quite clear to each and every person as soon as they saw the elephant in the room!

    Second, assuming at least an initial reaction of awkwardness, what would people do with those reactions? Did they turn to each other, wonder together, even if just with their eyes or tense bodies? If so, did they find others who had the same reactions, and did those even brief feelings of connection feel reassuringly safe? Is that why they could decide to ignore the elephant, and avoid the lump?

    Third, might there have been people who actually felt concern for the elephant, felt uncomfortable about the silent treatment, wished they could approach the elephant, but just couldn’t take whatever risks they thought were at stake? After all, some risks can have very grave consequences. We all have very unique comfort zones. They serve an important purpose for us, so important that it takes a lot to step (or even think about stepping) out of them. So, while we’d best not judge others’ actions or inactions, we can — and perhaps should — take time to wonder about the costs of anyone, including ourselves, being as frozen in time as the elephant.

    And last, for now, since all of us have at some point had “elephant in the room moments,” what is it that makes us desperately wish for a handy hiding rug? Ahh, that may take careful observation over time to consider and learn! And let’s not overlook the fact that every elephant is unique in every way imaginable. My elephant will never be identical to your elephant, whether a result of a societal, community or personal discomfort. No one-size applications here! However reluctantly, we must each start by acknowledging the presence of an elephant, and then by exploring its significance in this situation from this elephant’s perspective. Whether the elephant is within me or near me, if I can be brave enough to look, I always find it eventually — hiding in plain sight! Then I am able to wonder what it’s like to actually be either the elephant hiding under a rug in a room full of people, or a person in the room who is feeling elephant-like in an emotional freeze. The elephant in isolation has no one to look or turn to, and the elephant-like folks are feeling too isolated to reach out to the elephant. Neither are feeling the comforting or encouraging relationships needed to get that rug off and deal with the exposed ‘dust’ that society has found ways to hide and keep hidden!

    There will always be dust, but we are ever-evolving. So I need to periodically challenge myself by actually noticing when I’m feeling elephant-like, looking into my emotional mirror, and asking:

    Who am I right now? Am I hiding? Am I avoiding?

    What next steps should I consider?

    What courage do I need?

    What relationships do I need? Do I have them? Do I need to strengthen them?

    I have confidence that the answers to these hard questions will support and guide me to the relationships that will make next steps — growth steps — possible and steady.

  • Diversity-Informed Tenets For Work with Infants, Children and Families

    Diversity-Informed Tenets For Work with Infants, Children and Families

    The Diversity-Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children, and Families (Tenets) are guiding principles created to encourage the infant mental health (IMH) field to intentionally and mindfully engage in standards of practice that promote and strive for a just and equitable society.  The Tenets present a call to action to intentionally address some of the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other inequities embedded in society.1

    The Irving Harris Foundation Professional Development Network Tenets Working Group released the 1st edition of the Tenets in 2012.  Integrating this 2nd edition of the Diversity-Informed IMH Tenets into our personal and professional work is essential to shaping our personal understanding about the inequities and injustices within our systems, as well as contributing significantly to the relationships developed with infants, young children and their families.2

    Working group members:  Victor Bernstein, PhD; Karen Frankel, PhD; Chandra Ghosh Ippen, PhD; Linda Gilkerson, PhD; Mary Claire Heffron, PhD; Anne Hogan, PhD; Carmen Rosa Noroña, MSW, MSEd, CEIS; Joy D. Osofsky, PhD; Rebecca Shahmoon Shanok, PhD; Maria Seymour St. John, PhD, MFT; Alison Steier, PhD; Kandace Thomas, MPP.

    1-www.imhdivtenets.org
    2-Holmberg, Margaret, Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health DRAFT document, April 2018


    DIVERSITY-INFORMED TENETS
    FOR WORK WITH INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES
    Irving Harris Foundation Professional Development Network Tenets Working Group

    Tenents are listed below in both english and spanish – you can also download here: TenetsSpanishEnglish2ndedition2018 copy

    CENTRAL PRINCIPLE FOR DIVERSITY-INFORMED PRACTICE

    1. Self-Awareness Leads to Better Services for Families:

    Working with infants, children, and families requires all individuals, organizations, and systems of care to reflect on our own culture, values and beliefs, and on the impact that racism, classism, sexism, able-ism, homophobia, xenophobia, and other systems of oppression have had on our lives in order to provide diversity-informed, culturally attuned services.

    STANCE TOWARD INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES FOR DIVERSITY-INFORMED PRACTICE

    2. Champion Children’s Rights Globally: Infants and children are citizens of the world. The global community is responsible for supporting parents/caregivers, families, and local communities in welcoming, protecting, and nurturing them.

    3. Work to Acknowledge Privilege and Combat Discrimination: Discriminatory policies and practices that harm adults harm the infants and children in their care. Privilege constitutes injustice. Diversity-informed practitioners acknowledge privilege where we hold it, and use it strategically and responsibly. We combat racism, classism, sexism, able-ism, homophobia, xenophobia, and other systems of oppression within ourselves, our practices, and our fields.

    4. Recognize and Respect Non-Dominant Bodies of Knowledge: Diversity-informed practice recognizes non- dominant ways of knowing, bodies of knowledge, sources of strength, and routes to healing within all families and communities.

    5. Honor Diverse Family Structures: Families decide who is included and how they are structured; no particular family constellation or organization is inherently optimal compared to any other. Diversity-informed practice recognizes and strives to counter the historical bias toward idealizing (and conversely blaming) biological mothers while overlooking the critical child-rearing contributions of other parents and caregivers including second mothers, fathers, kin and felt family, adoptive parents, foster parents, and early care and educational providers.

    PRINCIPLES FOR DIVERSITY-INFORMED RESOURCE ALLOCATION

    6. Understand That Language Can Hurt or Heal:

    Diversity-informed practice recognizes the power of language to divide or connect, denigrate or celebrate, hurt or heal. We strive to use language (including body language, imagery, and other modes of nonverbal communication) in ways that most inclusively support all children and their families, caregivers, and communities.

    7. Support Families in Their Preferred Language:

    Families are best supported in facilitating infants’ and children’s development and mental health when services are available in their native languages.

    8. Allocate Resources to Systems Change: Diversity and inclusion must be proactively considered when doing any work with or on behalf of infants, children, and families. Resource allocation includes time, money, additional/alternative practices, and other supports and accommodations, otherwise systems of oppression may be inadvertently reproduced. Individuals, organizations, and systems of care need ongoing opportunities for reflection in order to identify implicit bias, remove barriers, and work to dismantle the root causes of disparity and inequity.

    9. Make Space and Open Pathways: Infant, child, and family serving workforces are most dynamic and effective when historically and currently marginalized individuals and groups have equitable access to a wide range of roles, disciplines, and modes of practice and influence.

    ADVOCACY TOWARDS DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY IN INSTITUTIONS

    10. Advance Policy That Supports All Families:

    Diversity-informed practitioners consider the impact of policy and legislation on all people and advance a just and equitable policy agenda for and with families.


    Diversity is used in the most inclusive sense possible, signaling race and ethnicity, as well as other identity markers, and referring to groups and individuals on both the “up and down side of power” along all axes.

    Diversity-informed practice is a dynamic system of beliefs and values that strives for the highest levels of diversity, inclusion and equity. Diversity-informed practice recognizes the historic and contemporary systems of oppression that shape interactions between individuals, organizations and systems of care. Diversity-informed practice seeks the highest possible standard of equity, inclusivity and justice in all spheres of practice: teaching and training, research and writing, public policy and advocacy and direct service.

    This is an update to the 2012 Diversity-Informed Infant Mental Health Tenets ©2018 by Irving Harris Foundation. All rights reserved www.imhdivtenets.org


    SPANISH Version  – PRINCIPIOS INFORMADOS EN LA DIVERSIDAD

    PARA TRA A AR CON E S, NI OS, NI AS Y FAMILIAS

    Grupo de Trabajo sobre Principios Informados en la Diversidad de la Red de Desarrollo Profesional de la Fundación Irving Harris

    PRINCIPIO CENTRAL PARA LA PRÁCTICA INFORMADA EN LA DIVERSIDAD

    1. La Constante Toma de Consciencia Sobre Sí Mismo (a), a Tra s de un Proceso Re e o, Conduce a Me ores Ser c os para las Familias: Trabajar con bebés, niños(as) y familias requiere que todas las personas, organizaciones y sistemas

    de atención re exionemos sobre nuestra cultura, valores y creencias, y sobre el impacto que el racismo, clasismo, sexismo, capacitismo (discriminación hacia la discapacidad), homofobia, xenofobia y otros sistemas de opresión han tenido en nuestras vidas, de manera que proporcionemos servicios informados en la diversidad y en sintonía con la cultura de aquellos a quienes servimos.

    POSTURA HACIA LOS E S, NI OS AS Y SUS FAMILIAS PARA UNA PRÁCTICA INFORMADA EN LA DIVERSIDAD

    2. Defender los Derechos de los Niños(as) Globalmente: Los bebés y niños(as) son ciudadanos del mundo. Es responsabilidad de la comunidad global el apoyar a los padres/adultos responsables/cuidadores, a las familias y a las comunidades para que puedan acoger, proteger y cuidar de los niños(as).

    3. Tra a ar para Reconocer el Pr leg o y Luchar Contra la Discriminación: Las políticas y prácticas discriminatorias que les hacen daño a los adultos, también dañan a los bebés y niño(as) bajo su cuidado. El privilegio constituye en sí una injusticia. La práctica informada en la diversidad signi ca reconocer nuestra posición de privilegio, en todos ámbitos donde nos otorga ventaja, y usarla de manera estratégica y responsable. También signi ca luchar contra el racismo, clasismo, sexismo, capacitismo (discriminación hacia la discapacidad), homofobia, xenofobia y otros sistemas de opresión presentes en nosotros mismos, nuestras prácticas y nuestro campo profesional.

    4. Reconocer y Respetar los Ca pos No Do nantes de Conocimiento: Las prácticas informadas en la diversidad reconocen formas no dominantes del saber, áreas de conocimiento, fuentes de fortaleza, y métodos de sanación/ curación dentro de familias y comunidades diversas.

    5. Honrar las Estructuras Familiares Diversas: Las familias de nen quiénes las componen y cómo están estructuradas; ninguna constelación u organización familiar en particular,
    es inherentemente óptima en comparación a otras. La práctica informada en la diversidad reconoce y se esfuerza por contrarrestar la tendencia histórica a idealizar (o en contraste, a culpabilizar) a las madres biológicas como guras de cuidado primario. Esta tendencia pasa por alto las contribuciones cruciales en la crianza de los niños(as) de otros padres y cuidadores primarios; incluyendo otras guras maternas, al padre, los padres sustitutos y adoptivos, parientes y familia extendida, los educadores de niños(as) pequeños(as), además de otras personas.

    PRINCIPIOS PARA LA ASIGNACIÓN DE RECURSOS INFORMADOS POR LA DIVERSIDAD

    6. Co prender ue el Lengua e puede Ser Usado para Her r o Curar/Sanar: La práctica informada en la diversidad reconoce el poder del lenguaje para dividir o unir, denigrar o celebrar, herir o curar/sanar. Nos esforzamos por utilizar el lenguaje (incluido el lenguaje corporal, imágenes y otros modos de comunicación no verbal) de la manera más inclusiva posible para todos los bebés, niños(as), sus familias, adultos responsables/cuidadores y comunidades.

    7. Apoyar a las Fa l as en Su Id o a de Pre erenc a: Las familias son ayudadas de manera más efectiva a fomentar el desarrollo y salud mental de los bebés y niños(as), cuando los servicios destinados para ellos(as) están disponibles en sus idiomas de preferencia.

    8. Destinar Recursos para Cambiar los Sistemas: La diversidad e inclusión deben ser consideradas de manera proactiva al realizar cualquier trabajo con o para bebés, niños(as) y familias. Esta consideración requiere que se destinen recursos tales como: tiempo, dinero, prácticas adicionales/alternativas u otros apoyos y adaptaciones adicionales para este propósito; de lo contrario los sistemas de opresión pueden reproducirse inadvertidamente. Las personas, las organizaciones y los sistemas de atención necesitan oportunidades continuas de re exión para identi car sesgos implícitos, eliminar barreras y trabajar para desmantelar las raíces de la disparidad y la inequidad.

    9. Hacer Espac o y A r r Ca nos: La fuerza laboral al servicio de bebés niños(as) y familias, será más dinámica y e caz cuando las personas y grupos histórica y actualmente marginados tengan acceso equitativo a una amplia gama de roles, disciplinas y modos de práctica e in uencia.

    A OGAR POR LA DIVERSIDAD, INCLUSI N Y EQUIDAD EN LAS INSTITUCIONES
    10. Pro o er una Pol t ca ue Apoye a Todas las Fa l as: Los(as) profesionales, que están informados en la diversidad, consideran el impacto de las políticas y la legislación en todas las personas y fomentan una agenda justa y equitativa para y con las familias.

    IRVING HARRIS FOUNDATION
    191 NORTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 1500 CHICAGO, IL 60606
    312.621.3814 www.irvingharrisfdn.org

  • How can MI-AIMH Grow the Diversity of the IMH Field?

    How can MI-AIMH Grow the Diversity of the IMH Field?

    The short answer to this question is, “Intention and Attention”. The rest of this message will offer you information to reflect upon related to our growth process.

    Our Chosen Definition of Diversity

    MI-AIMH strengthens and supports a diverse infant and early childhood mental health-informed workforce, engaging professionals who represent many different cultures, ethnicities, disciplines and service communities. These professionals support pregnant women, infants, toddlers, young children and families in a variety of ways, integrating I-ECMH principles in their work with families.  Because we believe that it is important that we direct our workforce development activities towards this broad expanse of individuals and organizations that touch the lives of families during this sensitive period, we feel an equally broad definition of diversity is required.

    The challenge that we acknowledge is that it is difficult to “go deep” in any one priority area when we are so broad in our attention.  There is no doubt that we have many miles ahead in this journey, nor that we have laced up our sturdy walking shoes to travel down the path.  In reflecting upon where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going, I hope we can notice and mark the milestones achieved and power ahead to reach those before us.

    The Evolution of IMH Workforce Development Efforts

    Founded in 1977, MI-AIMH was born from Selma Fraiberg’s pioneering infant mental health work recognizing the critical importance of the infant-parent relationship to all learning and development. Over time, MI-AIMH has translated her model of “therapy around the kitchen table” into a comprehensive, practical framework for infant and family professionals, which has guided the IMH home visiting model in our public community mental health services system in Michigan.  The attainment of Medicaid funding to support this treatment by MI-AIMH Endorsed mental health clinicians has resulted in tremendous growth of IMH treatment services for high risk families who are pregnant or parenting infants and young children.  However, other professionals also spend many hours with very young children and work with families who are pregnant or parenting birth to six year olds, and we want them to use our resources and expertise to support relationship-focused, reflective practices aligned with infant mental health competencies.

    Our relationships with other important systems serving infants, young children and families over the years have continued to inform understanding about the importance of an IMH informed workforce to the well-being of those we serve.  Endorsed professionals now represent the broad array of service delivery systems to this population, even though the majority are still providing infant and early childhood mental health services in CMH programs.

    Our framework to guide understanding and attainment of competency, the MI-AIMH Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health® developed in 2002, reflects the diversity of practitioners in terms of their professional roles and practice settings.  The competencies upon which this was built are what we have focused our training programs on ever since.

    Specific to cultural diversity, all of our training events intend to integrate this perspective into the didactic and reflective components of the programs.  Sometimes we have been more successful than others in these efforts, and current vetting of potential training emphasizes this as a focus.  We have also developed and delivered training over the years wholly devoted to issues related to culture, relationship support across difference, and identity self-awareness.  In the last several years we have offered memorable stand-alone events and MI-AIMH Conference presentations from diverse trainers on topics such as historical trauma, hair-combing interactions, third space, the Irving Harris diversity tenets, reflective supervision where there is racial difference between supervisor and supervisee, and more.

    Coming up in 2018 and 2019, we will have a repeat offering of “Climbing Mountains, Building Bridges” (an important training offered over the last few years), and two major events built to deepen our competency in providing culturally sensitive relationship-focused work:  The Explorations in Development 2-day conference offered in collaboration with Wayne State University’s Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute IMH Dual Title Program and Healthier Urban Families Program this fall will examine the role of culture, power and privilege in seeking and utilizing early intervention and early childhood mental health services.  Our 2019 MI-AIMH Biennial Conference in May is entitled Relationships Heal: The Transformative Power of Connections, which will reflect many aspects of our work through a cultural lens.

    Building More Diverse IMH Leadership

    Competency-based training leading to Endorsement will always be one of our key strategies for building strong infant-family professionals.  This is our primary mission, but it is not enough to address the needs in our field to open pathways that will result in more culturally diverse leaders.  We are attending to this both within MI-AIMH and within the global organization we are a part of, the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health®Here are a few important examples of intention and attention to this area of need:

    • MI-AIMH’s Board and Liaison roster now reflects more racial diversity than ever in its officers, committee leadership, and representatives
    • The EASy application system for Endorsement® has been translated into Spanish for the IFA and IFS categories thanks to grant support from our Alliance partner, the Oregon Infant Mental Health Association, Colorado’s Project LAUNCH, and Connecticut’s HSSCO. Further efforts are underway to support translation at the IMHS and IMHM categories, as well as to hire a Spanish speaking Endorsement Coordinator to work with potential applicants across the country
    • The next Annual Reflective Supervision/Consultation (RSC) Symposium that will be in Colorado in August will continue to provide an in-depth opportunity to build reflective supervision expertise and leadership. I have had the privilege of being on the planning committee as an Alliance Board member. Entitled “Mining the Depths: An Exploration of Equity Through the Reflective Process”, we intend to immerse attendees in considering the impact of race and equity on the important relationship for learning that RSC offers.
    • The Alliance drafted a Call to Action document for all member IMH associations on Diversity, which will be published in our next Crier issue
    • MI-AIMH is exploring the feasibility of joint grant-seeking with Wayne State University/Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute to offer Diversity Fellowship experiences once again

    It is with great humility that I ask you to celebrate what we all have accomplished thanks to the many voices and hours of intentional attention to the issues at hand AND to stay engaged as we continue to find our way forward together.