INFANT MENTAL-HEALTH - AN EXPANDING FIELD FOR SOCIAL-WORK

Infant mental health is a transdisciplinary field that draws from diverse child-related professions. Because of increasing recognition of the number and severity of problems that originate in infancy, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 required that states provide comprehensive family-based programs for at-risk children (ages 0-3) and their families. This nationwide mandate for early identification and intervention with infants has opened many professional opportunities for social workers. In addition to constituting a field of practice, infant mental health constitutes a practice perspective for social workers who apply the theory and practice knowledge emerging from the field. Social work practitioners and educators should incorporate this expanding infant development and intervention knowledge base to serve this population.