Okanogan Behavioral HealthCare (OBHC) is excited to announce the launch of our new Early Childhood Mental Health Program, expanding access to specialized behavioral health services for children from birth to age five and their caregivers across Okanogan County.

Early relationships play a critical role in social, emotional, and cognitive development. This program focuses on fostering secure attachment, strengthening caregiver-child relationships, and supporting emotional regulation during the most critical period of brain development. By providing early intervention and family-centered support, these services help build a foundation for lifelong mental, emotional, and relational well-being.

"When we started thinking about early childhood mental health, our goal was to create a service that was preventative for child and youth mental health," said Jackie Wiman, OBHC Director of Child & Adolescent Services. "By identifying children and families in need of support earlier, we can help develop secure attachments with primary caregivers and strengthen the foundation children need to self-regulate and form healthy relationships as teens and into adulthood."

The program is intended for any caregiver and child who may be experiencing challenges related to attachment, trauma, behavioral concerns, developmental transitions, caregiver stress, or other factors affecting family well-being.

“We understand that this is a very vulnerable time in the lives of parents, and that families are doing the best that they can,” said Wiman. “This program is for those who maybe struggling with their relationship with their child or the child in their care for a variety of reasons. Those reasons could include - the child didn’t have the opportunity to develop a healthy attachment with a care giver, the child or caregiver has experienced something traumatic in their life, the parent is struggling with their own metal health, the child is displaying behavior that seems abnormal for their age, or the parent or caregiver just needs some help.”

The program was developed following extensive collaboration with healthcare providers, early childhood professionals, and family-serving agencies throughout Okanogan County to identify service gaps and strengthen support for local families.

"When you live in a rural area with limited resources, you have to be intentional about creating new programs that meet the unique needs of the community without duplicating existing services," Wiman said. "We spent the past year working alongside local partners to identify those needs and build a program that strengthens support for children and families across our county."

To prepare for the program's launch, OBHC clinicians completed specialized professional development and certification training, including DC:0-5 Diagnostic Classification Certification, Circle of Security, First Approach Skills Training for Early Childhood (FAST-E), and Promoting First Relationships. These evidence-informed trainings have strengthened staff expertise in early childhood development, attachment-based interventions, and caregiver support.

In keeping with OBHC's commitment to collaboration, community partners serving young children and families were also invited to participate in Promoting First Relationships training alongside OBHC staff. These shared learning opportunities strengthened professional partnerships and expanded knowledge across organizations serving families throughout the region.

Strong partnerships with primary care providers, early learning professionals, early intervention services, and family-support agencies will play a vital role in helping OBHC identify and support families as early as possible. These connections ensure children and caregivers can access services before challenges become more significant.

Individuals enrolled in this program will receive a developmentally appropriate mental health assessment and individualized treatment plan, which may include caregiver-child therapy, parenting support groups, or a combination of services.

The Early Childhood Mental Health Program represents an important expansion of OBHC's services and reflects the organization's belief that investing early in children and families strengthens the health and resilience of the entire community.

For more information, visit the Early Childhood Mental Health Program page, call (509) 826-6191, or visit OBHC at 1007 Koala Drive, Omak, WA 98841.