Mission

To promote a unified understanding of infant mental health across disciplines and programs and to develop a statewide system of resources in support of infant mental health for all families living in Utah.

Scope of UAIMH

• To facilitate cooperation among individuals and agencies concerned with promoting conditions that will bring about the optimal development of infants and infant-caregiver relationships.
• To encourage the realization that infancy is a sensitive period in the psychosocial development of individuals.
• To promote education and research of the effects of mental development during infancy on later normal and psychopathological development.
• To support the implementation of evidence-based programs of promotion, intervention, and prevention designed to foster positive infant-caregiver relationships.

Aims of UAIMH

• To promote the understanding of infant mental health issues and the development of programs to enhance infant mental health.
• To discuss and share questions, problems, issues, information and theories regarding the mental health of infants, their families, parents, and other caregivers through meetings and other formats
• To disseminate research and to educate health care professionals who study and/or care for infants.

President: Alysse M. Loomis, PhD, LCSW

I am an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Utah.

My research focuses on the fluence of early childhood trauma in preschools classrooms and building trauma-informed early childhood systems.

What I love most about my job is teaching future social workers and finding ways to promote the wellbeing of young children through my research.

I serve on the board of UAIMH.  

Past President - Jennifer Mitchell

 I am the Senior Program and Operations Director for The Children's Center. I am an Infant Mental Health specialist, and my expertise is working with children and families who have experienced trauma and children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. What I love most about my job is having the privilege to train and supervise other professionals and share the joy of providing hope and healing to young children and families.

Treasurer - Susan Ord MA

I am a retired early childhood professional having worked for 20 years in the Utah Department of Health, Baby Watch Early Intervention Program. I learned that one of the most difficult areas of a child's development to identify, evaluate and provide services for was related to social emotional development. It was during this time that UAIMH was created. I am very pleased to continue my association and support of UAIMH's mission to promote a unified understanding of infant mental health across disciplines and programs to develop a statewide system of resources.

President Elect - Alex Collopy Ph.D

I am an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Child and Family Studies at Weber State University. I am an early childhood (birth - 3rd grade) teacher educator and educational anthropologist, with expertise in inclusive education from Reconcepualist and Disability Studies in Education Perspectives. 

I am a former fellow at the Washington-Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis.

In my previous work as a nanny and Preschool teacher, I valued the opportunities to engage with children and open-ended materials, and to join young children in exploring and articulating their emotional experiences. 

Board Member- William Cosgrove 

I am a pediatrician who retired after 34 years of private practice to devote my time to advocacy for the good of children. I currently serve as the Vice-chair of the Salt lake County Board of Health, the Chair of the Utah Medicaid Medical Care Advisory Committee, Co-Chair of the Early Childhood Utah Commission, Leader RESULTS Salt Lake City Global Health, and member of the Utah Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, the Utah Association of Infant Mental Health, the Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and four Immunization committees.

Dr. Palacios-Gutierrez currently works for The Children’s Center Utah as their Professional Development Manager. 

She helps with disseminating webinars pertaining to infant and early childhood mental health, while considering and holding a trauma-informed lense.

She also supervises psychology interns in training  at The Children’s Center Utah.

Her passion is around providing services to diverse and underserved populations with an emphasis on preventative care.  She is bilingual in English & Spanish, which allows her to provide services and supervise in both languages. 

Dr. Palacios-Gutierrez earned her doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles.  She has worked with children and families across a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, inpatient programs, state health department, nonprofit organizations, and private practice.

Board Member- Susan Dickinson

Samantha Smith PsyD

I am currently the Assistant Director of the Psychology Training Program and Staff Psychologist at The Children’s Center in Salt Lake.

I specialize in working with children and families with trauma, anxiety, mood, and behavioral disorders. 

What I love most about my job is getting the opportunity to help families find joy in their relationships with each other and work through a variety of adverse experiences.

I serve as Secretary and Membership Chair for UAIMH  

Board Member- Shauna Ferrell Wuthrich

I am a Clinical Social Worker currently working towards becoming a fully licensed LCSW. I graduated with an MSW from the University of Utah in 2019 with an emphasis on child welfare. I have ten years experience working in early childhood mental health as a Therapeutic Preschool Specialist working in Kinship Care, and now as a therapist. I have a passion for working with young children to help them through trauma and support their emotional and social development.  I believe that prevention is the strongest intervention and that it begins with the mental health of mothers and their infants. 

To promote a unified understanding of infant mental health across disciplines and programs and to develop a statewide system of resources in support of infant mental health for all families living in Utah.

Email: uaimh.info@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/UtahIM   

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