Learning Together Child Mental Health Initiative

Child Mental Health Initiative (CMHI) - This program serves children under the age of 5 who have serious social, emotional, behavioral, and/or mental health issues. The program provides coping mechanisms to young children who do not know how to express their frustrations and/or anger. Children and families receive individualized weekly visits from our Mental Health Specialist at a location selected by the family. Inclusive play therapy is included when appropriate for the identified child in the home or childcare setting.

BEST Buddiez

BEST (Boundaries, Empathy, Self-esteem, thinking) Buddiez play groups. The 8-session group therapy package is designed especially for three to five year olds. The sessions include a song, puppet show, a play theme for free play, parent handouts and take-home activities, a craft, and a snack time during which social skills are practiced. Group size varies from four to eight children depending on the severity of behaviors of the children.

Itty Bitty BEST Buddiez group is the compatible program for two to three year olds.

Family Support Program-provides comprehensive support to all the families served at Learning Together. The bilingual coordinator aims to strengthen the relationship between our agency and families by improving communication and increasing involvement. The program also operates a lending library with materials for both children and parents free of charge.

BEST Care Kidz

Learning Together’s Child Mental Health Initiative is launching an exciting and innovative program entitled BEST Care Kidz.  This is a multi faceted mental health program that focuses on the very young children in foster care and their biological mothers who have lost custody due to various reasons. The objective of this program is to deliver the same type of opportunity that is described above to foster children in hopes of supporting permanence and addressing attachment issues.   Learning Together is pleased to announce that it was the recipient of two grants to support this innovative program.

Learning Together was named one of the first recipients of a grant from The Women’s Network – Connecting for Change Women’s Giving Group of the North Carolina Community Foundation.  The grant will fund a visitation house for the Child Mental Health Initiative’s BEST Care Kidz program.  This visitation house will provide a home visual in which therapeutic sessions with the biological mother and foster child will take place.  BEST Care Kidz was also the recipient of a three year grant commitment from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to provide operating funds for the program.

If you would like more information regarding the BEST Care Kidz program please contact Rita Terrago, Director of CMHI, at (919)856-5458 or Deric Boston at (919)856-5384.

Community Support

Learning Together, Inc. is an Endorsed Community Support provider.  Community Support services are psychoeducational and supportive in nature and are intended to meet the mental health needs of children with significant social and/or emotional problems, because of negative environmental, medical or biological factors.  Included among this latter group are those at risk for significant development delays, atypical development, or serious emotional disturbance that could result in an inability to live successfully in the community without services and guidance.

To Make a referral please complete the form below:

Learning Together, Inc. Child Mental Health Initiative Referral Form

Learning Together, Inc. Child Mental Health Consent Form

Our mailing address:

CMHI

568 East Lenoir Street

Suite 204

Raleigh, NC 27601

referrals@learningtogether.org       Back