Professional Resources
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Get a list of Mental Health Providers in Chaffee County here.
Or to connect with an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, click here to fill out the online form or call the ECMH Support Line at (833) ECMH411 Monday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to speak directly to a consultant. Visit MentalHealthStartsEarly.com for additional information.
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Providing tools and hands-on support for licensed child care providers is a core aspect of our work. We offer guidance to navigate the Colorado Shines Quality Rating and Improvement System. CCECC also provides access to an array of training and assessment opportunities for local licensed programs.
Click here for Colorado Shines.
Enhance the care you provide children and families with research-backed curricula, tools and training programs offered by CCECC to local child care programs and providers.
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CCECC is committed to ensuring the children and families of Chaffee County have the support they need to thrive.
CCECC conducts community assessments to identify local families’ needs. We then work in broad partnership to identify solutions and bring evidence-based services to our communities. Our aim is to build the capacity of local providers to meet the needs of Chaffee County families with young children.
CCECC may be able to support training costs for individuals and organizations that work directly with young children and their families.
CCECC works with medical providers, mental health specialists, educators, government agencies, home visitors, faith groups, and others with the goal of supporting the health and well-being of our community’s youngest children.
Contact us to learn more about any of the training opportunities offered here.
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Call or Text: 303-272-2500 to talk with a trained volunteer 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Free and immediate access to mental health services is available.
The support line is available to any member of the education workforce across the state.
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We provide scholarships for early childhood professionals employed in Chaffee County to complete higher education courses.
Funding covers tuition, fees, and books.
Contact Trinity Stearns to learn more at tstearns@ccecc.org
For information about how CCECC may be able to help you cover some of the costs of your education, contact us.
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Established by legislation, the Colorado Early Childhood Professional Credential is a tiered system of credentials that recognizes increased knowledge and experience for those who care for and educate the State’s youngest children.
Click here to learn more.
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The PDIS, part of the State’s Quality Rating & Improvement System, is an online resource for training related to early care and learning. PDIS offers an array of e-learning courses on child development, health and safety, and quality instruction. PDIS supports professionals at all levels of experience and education.
Click here to learn more.
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The DECA screening and assessment tool is focused on identifying key social and emotional strengths. Planning resources provide families with research-based strategies to promote children’s resilience and social-emotional development. Available for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, DECA considers protective and risk factors for each child. CCECC can help pay for the costs of DECA, particularly for children you may have a concern about. Learn more about DECA here.
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CCECC helps licensed programs access the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Social-Emotional Second Edition (ASQ-SE2) for screening in child care settings.
ASQ-3 is a research-based tool that is used to screen children for delays and improve child outcomes. ASQ-SE2 screens children for delays in their social-emotional health. Click here to learn more about the ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE2.
Children who are identified as having a developmental delay may be referred to Child Find.
Evaluations conducted by Child Find teams are at no cost to parents.
Local Child Find contacts:
Buena Vista — Dione Morgan, 719-966-9149
Salida — Lisa Monroe , 719-530-5375
Click here to learn more about Child Find in Chaffee County.
Beginning on May 1 all referrals and evaluations for children under the age of 3 with developmental concerns or disabilities will be coordinated through Early Intervention Colorado.
You may also contact Star Point for birth to three early intervention services and support:
Email: Eintervention@starpointco.com
Call: 719-369-0255
Fax: 719-275-2900 with ATTN: Early Intervention.
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A kit of weekly lessons to support social-emotional learning for preschool and kindergarten children. CCECC purchases the kit of lessons and materials for your use, and we provide training to your team. Click here to learn more about the Social Emotional Skills for Early Learning kit.
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Conscious Discipline supports social-emotional development by first helping adults learn about self-control and self-regulation, and then teaching children. Conscious Discipline helps caregivers see how we respond when we are upset so that we can fully understand our emotions and how to regulate ourselves.
The program teaches adults how to be conscious of what we say to children and the behaviors we are modeling. Heavily focused on brain science, Conscious Discipline is an “inside-out” model that helps adults learn what’s happening in children’s brains, how their behavior reflects their stage of brain development, and how as adults we can productively respond.
Click here to learn more about the Conscious Discipline program.
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CCECC partners with Infant and Toddler Specialists and EQIT trainers to increase the quality and availability of responsive care for infants and toddlers in Chaffee County. The program aims to strengthen the skills and knowledge base of early childhood providers working with infants and toddlers and promote systemic change to promote greater quality and availability of care.
The EQIT program facilitates professional development for providers, particularly those who are teaching or coaching infant toddler teachers. Click here learn more about EQIT.
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A comprehensive, integrated mental health consultation model that involves a two-year commitment from child care programs.
The program bases early childhood consultants on-site in child care settings and in family child care homes. The Kid Connects model is informed by the latest research on attachment and early relationships, has a strong foundation in brain development, and delivers effective, clinically sound, developmentally appropriate practices in the classroom setting and for families.
The model relies on reflective practice to guide interactions with administrators, teachers/providers, parents and children.
The goal of Kid Connects is to improve the capacity of caregivers to respond to the social and emotional needs of young children, in order to:
Improve health and developmental and mental health outcomes for young children
Reduce expulsions from early care and learning programs
Create mentally healthy learning environments for young children and their caregivers
Kid Connects fosters supportive and trusting relationships between the early childhood consultant and the providers to build capacity in:
Understanding the meaning of children’s behavior
Flexibility in thinking about young children’s needs
Emotional availability to the children in their care
Openness to new information
Mutual respect for the providers, children and families
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Technical Assistance Offerings at All Our Kin
SBDC ECE Consultation Registration Links by County
Business Guide for Child Care Homes
Business Loans at UAACOG
Colorado Department of Early Childhood
Local Childcare Resource and Referral Agency pueblocc.edu
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
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UC Anschutz Medical Campus Teacher/Educator Support line: 1(303)724-2500
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The Emerging Early Childhood Educators Program is seeking people interested in a career serving the children and families of Chaffee County through early childhood education. The program offers an 18-credit Early Childhood Lead Teacher Certificate from Colorado Mountain College that can be articulated into an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education. This program also includes monthly coaching, reflective supervision opportunities, and experiences working in a licensed center.
Minimum Qualifications:
(applicants must meet the following)
Have a high school diploma or GED or be a concurrently enrolled high school student
Have a demonstrated interest in a career in early childhood
Have completed college-level Reading and English or can pass the Accuplacer
Applicant Considerations:
(The program coordinators review all applicants to select a cohort of 10 students and consider the following)
Openness to learn best practices
Commitment to participate and contribute to a diverse cohort
Demonstrate potential for the development of professional competencies
Availability to work in centers at least 8-10 hours per week
Strength of academic record
Required Courses:
Semester 1
ECE 1011 Intro to Early Childhood Education
ECE 1013 Guidance Strategies
Semester 2
ECE 1045 Intro to ECE Techniques
ECE 2101 Working with Families and Communities
Semester 3
ECE 2381 Child Growth and Development
ECE 2621 ECE Curriculum Development
Tuition
Generous funding from the Colorado Mountain College (Career Advance Colorado) and Chaffee County Government provides for each admitted student to receive the full tuition for the 18 required credits. Scholarships for books will be available as well. Students may incur costs throughout the year for light travel across the county. Stipends will be awarded for participation in scheduled monthly coaching and reflective supervision experiences and upon completion of college courses.
Teacher/Educator Well Being Support Line
303-272-2500
Call or Text
Talk with a trained volunteer 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Free and immediate access to mental health services is available.
The support line is available to any member of the education workforce across the state.
Training Opportunities