Infant and Young Children Services

A Better Way provides community-based preventive mental health and treatment services for young children (0-5) who are at risk for development of social and emotional disorders or who have developed emotional and behavioral disorders. We also work closely with caregivers to help them understand and address the needs of the child.

Young children who have experienced frequent disruptions in care or maltreatment in infancy and early childhood often demonstrate significant negative behaviors and lack of trust in others. Our programs offer these young children developmental, psychological, and educational assessment and treatment to address these issues. To the extent possible, we seek to empower the caregivers to provide the child with the attunement, understanding, consistency, limits and love that are essential to healing. Additionally, we provide mental health services for children and families when a parent is in recovery from addictive illness.

The Scope of Services Available for Young Children

• Diagnostic/psychological assessment for young children and/or parents
• Clinic-based counseling and support to enhance parenting techniques through observation and coaching.
• Use of a one-way mirror to observe and coach parents while they are alone with their children (Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is one example of this) for a description of PCIT, scroll down this page
• Individual therapy for very young children, including play, art, and sand tray therapy
• Weekly family therapy for newly formed families (foster care, adoptive, reunified)
• Psychotherapy groups on issues such as grief and loss, managing difficult child behavior, facilitating attachment and transition
• Home visits with therapeutic support provided in the home as needed and as appropriate
• Services provided in English or Spanish