This full-day session will provide space for in-depth conversations on infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) services. In keeping with this year’s conference theme of provocative thinking about the future of the sector, this think tank will encourage attendees to dive into the transformation agenda in healthcare and the potential opportunities and risks for IECMH.  In the new context of Ontario Health Teams we are seeing a focus across the lifespan. There is an opportunity to build on the promise of a population health approach – because that starts with infants, if not pre-natal care.  But in a lifespan approach, early signs are that seniors may get more priority than infants.  As well, the announced public health funding cuts give rise to concerns about the key early intervention services that may be lost. Given the historic challenges in positioning IECMH as a mainstay in the mental health conversation, there is a risk that in health system transformation and the emergence of Ontario Health Teams IECMH will continue operating under the radar of funders and policy innovators. We will explore how partners across healthcare who focus on IECMH can come together to overcome the risks and build on the opportunities in this new landscape. 
 
Think Tank Objective:

Develop strategies to leverage the collective potential of infant and early childhood mental health stakeholders in the context of health system transformation.

 

Who Should Attend: Mental health professionals, executive directors, public health professionals, policymakers.

 

Speakers: 
•    Purnima Sundar, Interim Executive Director Centre of Excellence in Child & Youth Mental Health
•    Dr Chaya Kulkarni, Director of Infant Mental Health Promotion (IMHP) at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto
•    More to come