DETROIT – A $4 million grant to the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) at Wayne State University aims to prevent serious emotional and behavioral problems in Detroit’s young children while promoting healthy development and reducing health disparities. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded the five-year project through its Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health) program.

The grant, “MPSI Project LAUNCH (MPSI-PL): Promoting Young Child Wellness in Detroit,” will educate and support hundreds of parents and other adults who care for young children while increasing access to high-quality infant and early childhood mental health services in multi-sector settings (home visiting, pediatric clinics, classrooms) as well as early childhood education for children ages 0 to 8.

Carla Caringi-Barron, Ph.D., assistant professor (research) at MPSI, is principal investigator on the grant.

“This funding allows us to strengthen opportunities to support babies, families and professionals in Detroit,” Caringi-Barron said. “From medical professionals to early childhood educators to parents to mental health providers, this project considers all those who are committed to young children in Detroit.”

The needs of many young families in Detroit are high. Thirty percent of Detroiters live below the poverty line, with 21% of children living in extreme poverty. About 40% of Detroit’s children have experienced multiple adverse childhood events. More than half of Detroit’s children have no access to high-quality early education and childcare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Detroit is rated very high on its Social Vulnerability Index; census data also rates many neighborhoods in Detroit a 10 out of 10 in Area Deprivation (Center for Health Disparities, University of Wisconsin).

In collaboration with key community partners, the new program has set ambitious goals to meet these needs. Community collaborations are critical.

“We will work with community members to ensure services are relevant to their lived experiences and honors their perspectives,” Caringi-Barron said.

The grant will provide these services:

• Culturally appropriate behavioral health screening and assessments of children birth to 8 years old and their parents/caregivers.
• Infant and early childhood mental health intervention services.
• Family and parent training about early child development and culturally appropriate and effective parenting strategies, including monthly e-newsletters to encourage play, attachment, stress relief and problem-solving in young families.
• Behavioral health training in primary care settings as part of integrated pediatric primary care. At present, few or no pediatric practices in Detroit offer prevention-oriented integrated primary care for young children.
• Mental health consultation in early care and education settings.
• Creation of a community-based Detroit Young Child Wellness Council (DYCWC).

In addition to Caringi-Barron, who also coordinates clinical training for graduate students in the Infant Mental Health Dual-Title program at MPSI, the team is composed of MPSI faculty members Carolyn Dayton, Ph.D., LMSW (Director of Integrated Care); Ann Stacks, Ph.D. (Systems Integration Liaison);  Lucy McGoron, Ph.D. (Evaluation Lead); Olivenne Skinner, Ph.D. (Director of Health Equity); Beverly Weathington, LMSW (Coordinator of Community Outreach and Engagement); and MPSI Director Alissa Huth-Bocks, Ph.D.

Huth-Bocks is honored to receive this generous grant and grateful to the community partners who will help to achieve its goals – all consistent with MPSI’s long-standing mission.

“This Project LAUNCH grant recognizes MPSI’s commitment to ensuring that children have opportunities to thrive during the earliest years, laying a foundation for life-long health and well-being,” she said. “Our exemplary team is poised to positively impact Detroit children, families and other important adults who care for young children.”

 “This grant represents an important commitment to the future of Detroit’s youngest residents that will help ensure they have the opportunity to thrive from a strong foundation of health and wellness,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State. “I look forward to the impact that the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute team will have on children, parents, caregivers, our community and more through this critical award.”

The award number for this Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant is H79SM087686.

The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child & Family Development promotes and improves the well-being of children and families across the lifespan through research, education and outreach. The institute is part of Wayne State University’s Division of Research & Innovation.

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About Wayne State University

Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.

Wayne State University’s research efforts are dedicated to a prosperity agenda that betters the lives of our students, supports our faculty in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation further, and strengthens the bonds that interconnect Wayne State and our community. To learn more about Wayne State University’s prosperity agenda, visit president.wayne.edu/prosperity-agenda.