Mental Health
The Community Action, Inc. Head Start Program embraces a prevention-based, holistic approach to mental health and wellness by promoting collaborative relationships among children, families, staff, mental health professionals, and the larger community, in order to enhance awareness and understanding of mental wellness through information and services. Our program accomplishes this vision through activities such as the following:
- Providing parents with preventative information regarding mental health and mental wellness
- Making intervention services and treatment available as needed
- Promoting family activities and time for families to enjoy one another
- Providing opportunities for parents to discuss concerns they may have regarding their child and family’s mental wellness
- Making mental health services available to all children, families and staff through a licensed mental health professional who has extensive experience with young children and their families
- Including mental health activities in the Early Head Start/Head Start daily program
- Providing mental health information, resources and services for pre and post-natal women
What is Mental Health?
Mental health is how we think, feel, and act in order to face life situations. It is how we look at ourselves, our lives, and the people that we care about. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, evaluate our options and make choices. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life.
Mental Health in the Classroom
EHS/HS staff provide many opportunities to encourage positive mental health by maintaining a supportive classroom environment, based on positive behavior management and mental health observational feedback.
Mental Health for the Family
Information pertaining to Mental Health is available to parents at Parent Committee Meetings, including a presentation and resource information.
Short-term discussion and behavioral problem solving techniques are also provided as appropriate to parents and staff.
Parents are made aware of mental health services available to them at the time of enrollment.
All families are provided with information about the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect.
Research-Based parent education opportunities are provided through parenting classes and family home visits. Multiple curriculums are utilized as services for parents.
Patricia Vargas
Mental Health/Disabilities Coordinator
(512) 396-3395 Ext. 206
pvargas@communityaction.com