ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book considers the needs of mothers with substance use disorders and those of their children. It explores the role of consultation and supervision within early childhood mental health. The book addresses the topic of clinical supervision in early childhood mental health. The emotional well-being of young children is a relatively new area of concern for counselors and other mental health professionals in the United States. The progress from general denial of mental health issues in young children to federal funding for new treatment modalities is due largely to determined advocacy and cutting-edge research on early brain development. If school and mental health counselors are to play a role in the prevention and remediation of the damage done to young children by abuse, neglect, and toxic stress, their educations must reflect the demands of the task.
