Changing our community one young child at a time

The Northwest Early Childhood Institute (NWECI – www.nweci.org), a division of the Hearing and Speech Institute in Portland, OR, promotes the social-emotional health of children through specialized clinical services and coordinated care, community education and awareness, and treatment research.  Using an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to its work, NWECI brings together diverse players including business, community and philanthropic leaders, parents, policymakers, academia, and early childhood professionals to bring science to practice.  It coordinates speaker series, study groups, trainings, and opportunities to advocate for early childhood systems that influence positive change. 

Speaker Series

The Institute hosts national speakers to the Portland/Vancouver area to present educational forums for policymakers and professionals from a wide range of disciplines dedicated to children.

Study Groups

The Institute brings together professionals from varying disciplines to study early childhood social-emotional topics relevant to community interests.  These ongoing groups facilitate shared experiences and explore current evidence-based practices.

Pediatric Learning Communities

Mid-career pediatricians participate in six-month training series which focus on childhood social-emotional development, screening and community resource issues.  At the end of the series, NWECI supports these physicians as they complete their commitments to work with childhood system partners during the following year.

Advocacy
It is increasingly important doe a variety of voices to be heard on behalf of early childhood and the need to build a better working system for families.  NWECI is developing a cadre of pediatric practitioners who are learning about early childhood systems and issues and are strategically deployed where they can influence further positive change.

“The Northwest Early Childhood Institute embraces the startling
neuroscience discoveries of early human development and is
committed to translating them into prevention efforts for all parents,
professionals and organizations that care about young children.”

 – Allan Schore, Ph.D., Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA

NWECI has partnered with Docs For Tots to carry out the Maternal, Infant and Toddler Mental Health Advocacy Project, funded through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a national initiative seeking to address the impact of maternal depression and infant and toddler mental health on early learning and development and later school readiness.  Docs For Tots looks forward to building this new relationship and collaborating with NWECI in innovative ways.