More than a Meeting: NAIMH Reminds Us that Infant Mental Health is Important

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

The Nebraska Association of Infant Mental Health, NAIMH, is a diverse group of individuals and organizations that come together regularly to strategize on behalf of infant and early childhood mental health in Nebraska. Eleven members recently met at the Crane Trust Nature Center in Wood River, Nebraska for their annual stakeholder meeting.

Here are the attendees, some of whom include representatives from Nebraska Children’s Early Childhood initiative. This includes (from left to right) Janice Lee (in red,) Sami Bradley (in the center), Lynne Brehm (in stripes), and Nikki Roseberry-Keiser (far right)

Although this group of individuals represents many sectors, they share a common goal: to ensure social and emotional development remains a priority. This statewide gathering was hosted by Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.

Of course, during this critical time in a child’s early life, priorities abound. All the same, mental health, also known as social emotional development, continues to be an important and overlooked aspect. The group’s efforts, however, span far beyond the importance of early social emotional development. More specifically, NAIMH is also a meeting with a mission:

To “promote the mental well-being and health of infants and young children across Nebraska.”

Aside from this generous mission, this organization provides a forum for interaction and study among professionals, students, and parents. Participants advocate for the application of infant mental health principles to services for infants, children, and families. Another objective is to distribute educational materials that promote increased understanding of infant mental health. Finally, NAIMH also supports educational webinars for a variety of disciplines to increase infant mental health awareness and encourage application for professionals in the field.

Representatives from many devoted organizations attended the meeting, including Nebraska Children’s initiatives Rooted in Relationships and Sixpence; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; UNL Extension; University of Nebraska at Kearney; and Nebraska Center for Children, Families and the Law.

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