Project LAUNCH Mental Health Consultation
Mental Health Consultation for Child Care Providers
Project LAUNCH works to implement infant and early childhood mental health consultation in early child care settings.
What is Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation?
Infant and early childhood mental health consultation is an intervention that builds the capacity of adult caregivers and providers to foster healthy social and emotional development for young children. A mental health professional with expertise in infant and early childhood mental health serves as a consultant to staff, families, and programs to create healthy, safe, and nurturing environments for children.
Project LAUNCH is working to implement mental health consultation using the Pyramid Model framework. We hosted a train the trainer in August 2025 to implement the framework across Hawai‘i. A state leadership team had its inaugural meeting that same month to discuss how to implement the Pyramid Model.
About the Pyramid Model
The Pyramid Model framework promotes social and emotional development in infants and young children through the continuum of supports and services: promotion, prevention, and intervention. It consists of the workforce base and three tiers.
The base of the pyramid focuses on preparing and equipping the workforce to support providers and children. By having a strong and supported workforce, they will be able to promote social and emotional development in children, address any concerns, and support themselves and each other through reflective supervision.
Reflective supervision is when staff can reflect on their experiences, thoughts, feelings, and responses in work with their supervisor in a safe and healthy manner. This allows staff to reflect on their own thoughts and responses, strengthen their relationships, and further provide quality service to children and their families.
The first tier focuses on reaching all children by promoting safe, healthy, and nurturing relationships and environments with children, their families, and staff.
The second tier focuses on reaching some children by providing targeted social and emotional supports for children who may need them.
The third tier, the tip of the pyramid, focuses on a few children through intensive intervention.