Two Models. One Mission.
Kids Thrive Maryland is a statewide initiative dedicated to providing infant and early childhood behavioral health resources and best practices for Maryland’s early childhood consultants, trainers, coaches, educators, and providers, and the families these professionals serve. Kids Thrive Maryland brings together two evidence informed models, the Pyramid Model for Social Emotional Development, and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, to enhance overall support for children and families.
To learn more about what each of these models has to offer and how they can work together, visit the Pyramid Model and Consultation Page.
Equity at the Heart of It
Equity is fundamental to our work and the Pyramid Model framework and IECMHC aim to support the enhancement of caregiving for all children, regardless of race, gender, language, learning differences, class, or other factors, while identifying and addressing areas where discrepancies in care persist. Recognizing and addressing the systemic and racial inequities within the early childhood field is a crucial aspect of our work.
Equity Statement
In 2021, the Maryland Pyramid Model State Leadership Team developed the following equity statement to guide Pyramid Model work and we at Kids Thrive Maryland seek to uphold these same principles.
In recognition of the historical, systemic and current racial inequities that exist throughout all levels and layers of our society, we acknowledge that our youngest citizens are too often exposed and harmed. We know this delivers a lasting impact on their social and academic trajectories, the most detrimental of which are higher rates of suspension and expulsion among young black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) before they enter kindergarten, which begins the preschool to prison pipeline. We believe that practices that promote social and emotional awareness and skills in both children and adults, like the Pyramid Model, can serve to significantly correct and address these realities. Recognizing this, the Maryland Pyramid Model SLT commits to implementing the Pyramid Model through a culturally responsive and anti-racist lens.
