Submission Overview

To ensure a blind review, no presenter names, titles, agencies, affiliations, or organizations should appear anywhere except where asked. Submissions on a particular program may not name the program, location, staff members, or affiliate organizations involved with the program. However, a description of the type of program, range of services, and length of time in the field is allowed. Proposals not conforming to the standards outlined will be rejected prior to review.

Review

For its primary review, ZERO TO THREE utilizes an initial blind review process. Reviewers from among our Academy Fellows who have specific expertise in the topic area specified for each proposal read and score proposals without identifying information on the specific source of the presentation. Their scores are based on criteria that take into account the interest areas and learning levels of the Annual Conference audience, the relevance of the topic to current work in the field, as well as the innovativeness of the work described in the proposal. A secondary review by Annual Conference Program Staff is made to ensure that all review processes were followed and that the overall program content is well-balanced to the Annual Conference audience.

Each year ZERO TO THREE receives several hundred responses to its Call for Proposals with a limited number of slots available for accepted presentation proposals. We are pleased to be able to feature the valuable work being done in the infant-family field as much as possible at the Annual Conference.

Participation Information

• A/V: : Field presenters will be supplied with one LCD projector/screen for use with their own laptop computer during their session. Poster presenters will be supplied with a poster board, table, and sign indicating the poster number and title. All other A/V needs will be at the presenter's expense and should be indicated at the time of acceptance.

• Registration: All presenters, including those with posters, will be required to pay the full registration fee and will be responsible for all of their own expenses related to attendance. There are no 1-day or reduced registration fees. Accepted Field/Clinical Case and Poster lead presenters are responsible for ensuring that all participants in their session are registered and have paid in full.

• Scheduling: Persons whose presentations are accepted must participate at the time scheduled by the Annual Conference Program Staff. Any special scheduling requests should be made at the time of acceptance, but we cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated.

• Disclosure: All presenters, including those with posters, will be required to disclose any relevant financial relationships to products or programs included in the session content. Presenters will also be required to disclose any such relationships to participants during the session.

• Learning Goals: All Field and Clinical Case presenters will be required to review Learning Goals/Objectives in the session and ascertain participants' mastery of them.

Submission Process

Submitting your proposal on-line will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete. This program will walk you through each step of the submission process, prompting you for all required information. If you cannot complete the entire process at one time, the program will allow you to save a draft, exit the system, and log back in before the deadline to complete or amend your submission. You will log in using your unique Submission ID and Password, which will display in the left frame of the page. The program will also send an e-mail confirming your Submission ID and Password and that your submission has been initiated. The online system includes error checks for missing information and shows you a complete draft of your submission before you finalize it.

Please note that no edits may be made after the deadline of March 14, 2016.

To expedite the process, we highly suggest that submitters collect or prepare the following information prior to beginning:

• Abstract of the session content: a brief description (max of 50 words) to be used for the program;
• List of goals/objectives for the session (max of 6);
• Full description/summary (not abstract) of session content (max of 400 words)
• Description of how specified learning activities will be incorporated into the session (max of 50 words)
• Contact information for up to 3 presenters (1 lead presenter and 2 co-presenters).

Presentation-Specific Hints

Field Presentations

These presentations should focus on effective responses to significant current problems/issues in infant-family research, practice, or policy. Submissions should be targeted to infant-family professionals. Abstracts should include:

• A succinct statement of the issue(s) being addressed and its relevance to work with infants, toddlers and their families;
• The reasoning or decision-making process used to address the issue/problem;
• Where appropriate, examples of collaboration and/or the use of a multidisciplinary team;
• Where appropriate, clinical material to illustrate the work in action;
• The research base that supports the effectiveness of the approach;
• A reference list of current and relevant literature on the topic;
• Lessons to be learned from the presentation that will have practical value to Annual Conference attendees; and
• The planned format for the presentation, including the specific strategies that will be used to engage and encourage active participation by participants.

Clinical Case Presentations

These presentations, designed for an audience of experienced infant-family clinicians, should focus on preventive, educational, or therapeutic work with one infant or toddler and his or her family. Abstracts should include:

• A clear conceptual framework/knowledge base for the clinical approach used; The process of clinical reasoning and decision-making used;
• Clinical material to illustrate the case;
• Examples of collaboration and/or the use of a multidisciplinary team;
• Evaluation or assessment of the effectiveness of the approach;
• Lessons to be learned from the presentation that will have practical value to Annual Conference attendees; and
• The planned format for the presentation, including the specific strategies that will be used to engage and encourage active participation by participants.

Posters

Posters can be focused on research findings, service delivery models, screening, assessment and evaluation issues, approaches to parent and professional training, or public awareness or advocacy initiatives. Abstracts should include:

• A clear statement of the issue or topic the poster addresses;
• The perspectives, methods, and/or service approaches used;
• The context in which the work has taken place or the issue is being confronted; and
• The lessons to be learned from the presenter's work that has practical value to Annual Conference attendees.

Criteria for Selection

• Relevance to the Annual Conference audience, with some priority to content designed for an advanced learner;
• Relevance to one or more of the topic areas delineated in the Call for Proposals;
• Demonstration of the relationship of the work detailed in the presentation to knowledge in the field and/or emerging areas of interest; and
• Clear identification of strategies for effective/best practices.

Prospective presenters should carefully consider their ability to prepare and deliver a session that employs a lively and varied format and uses audiovisual and other materials to enhance learning (presenters who read their presentations or strictly lecture have not been well received in the past).

Sample Proposal

Title: Professional Development Efforts in Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Abstract of Session (50 word maximum): The field of infant/early childhood mental health consultation (I/ECMHC) has grown tremendously over the last fifteen years. This session will orientate participants to the latest advances in professional development including: community, state and national models; use of reflective supervision; policy implications; and how to build an I/ECMHC system.

Goals and Objectives:

• The participant will be able to articulate outcomes of a professional development system in infant/early childhood mental health consultation.
• The participant will be able to identify indicators of professional development in infant/early childhood mental health consultation.
• The participant will be able to demonstrate increased knowledge of the available resources in professional development.

Adult Learning Principles: This session will use various methods of instruction including didactic presentation, small group hands on learning opportunities, use of video vignettes, and live demonstration using web site materials.

Audience Level: Intermediate

Types of activities or learning experiences: Video, Small Group Discussion, Case Scenarios, Reflective Activity, Brief Lecture and Demonstration

Summary (400 word maximum): The field of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (I/ECMHC) has grown tremendously over the last two decades from simply a Head Start performance standard to a mental health specialization. As the field has evolved and expanded to other early care and educational settings, the need for nationally recognized consensus on consultant knowledge and competencies has also increased.

Despite the clear and growing evidence base for I/ECMHC, there is currently very little professional development available to train mental health professionals in the role of a consultant. Individual efforts in several states and communities have moved the field forward by developing individual training programs and local standards or competencies. Recently, the Office of Head Start in coordination with SAMHSA has worked to develop a coherent set of professional development competencies and materials. The National Center on Heath, funded by Office of Head Start has also developed a Mental Health Consultation Professional Development Continuum. This project convened a group of national experts in I/ECMHC to establish consensus on competencies, and provide in depth information and practical skills for consultants.

This product has numerous components designed to increase the competency and professionalization of I/ECMHC by offering a self-assessment which guides the user in how to best utilize the eight online modules. The modules include interactive activities to allow for "practice" of new skills and prompts for reflection are provided throughout. Knowledge Centers provide additional resources and information in each module. The modules cover the role of the I/ECMHC (including the Consultative Stance and the paradigm shift from clinician to consultant); child/family/classroom/program specific consultation; system building at a local and state level; reflective practice; culture/ecology; and specialized knowledge (mental health, child development, trauma, and screening and assessment).

This session will allow participants to work with and see live demonstrations of the recently developed professional development materials for I/ECMH consultants. Participants will learn how states and communities have developed their own professional development materials and have increased the professionalization and effectiveness of I/ECMHC. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to discuss and explore ideas with national experts to develop or enhance mental health consultation services in their local programs or communities. The benefits and outcomes associated with I/ECMHC for very young children and their families are well documented; this session will allow professionals to further develop their knowledge of mental health consultation and learn ways to enhance their professional development.

Type of Presentation: Field Presentation

On which professional role(s) does the proposal focus: Early Care and Education and Mental Health/Infant Mental Health.

Fields that would be most meaningful: Mental Health and Early Care and Education/Child Care.

Areas:

• Mental Health Consultation
• Parent Engagement
• Reflective Approaches to Practice
• Social-emotional Development