Right Start for Infant Mental Health
Raising Kids is Hard. Right Start Can Help.
Right Start is a therapy program for pregnant individuals and families with children ages birth to 5 years.
If you are worried about your baby, toddler, or preschooler, you do not have to figure it out alone. Right Start can help families understand what young children may be communicating through their behavior, emotions, sleep, feeding, or relationships.
Support can be helpful when concerns feel new, confusing, or difficult to manage, even if you are not sure whether they are “serious enough.” The goal is to help you and your child feel more connected, supported, and confident in what comes next.
We serve any family with a child between the ages of birth to five years who lives in Denver County or who are able to attend services at the Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being, and who meet criteria for services.
How do I know if my baby, toddler, or preschooler may need support?
Every child grows at their own pace, and the years from birth to 5 bring many changes. Still, you may wonder whether your child’s behavior, emotions, or development could benefit from extra support.
Right Start helps families when a baby seems unusually quiet, disconnected, fussy, or hard to soothe; when sleep or feeding concerns feel difficult to manage; when a toddler or preschooler has intense tantrums, aggressive behavior, sadness, or anxiety; or when a child is having trouble after a scary or traumatic experience.
You do not need to wait for a crisis. If something feels hard for your family, Right Start can help you understand what may be happening and build tools that fit your child, your culture, and your real life.
Get in touch with us if your child is experiencing:
- Unusual quiet, withdrawal from loved ones, or is uninterested in connection
- Persistent crying, fussiness, or difficulty calming
- Sleep or feeding concerns that feel hard to manage
- Intense tantrums, aggression, or frequent conflict
- Sadness, fearfulness, anxiety, or separation distress
- Behavior changes after a frightening, stressful, or traumatic event
How Does Right Start Help?
Our team of mental health clinicians works exclusively with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families to offer comprehensive, trauma-informed, relationship-based care. We'll work with you and your family to understand your unique situation, what your goals are for your family, and how we can use a combination of practices to help you and your family thrive.
Some of what we offer includes:
- Child and family therapy (talking with you about your baby)
- Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)(opens in new tab)
- Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)(opens in new tab)
- Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P)(opens in new tab)
- Parent-Child Groups
- Case management for enrolled families
- Psychiatric evaluation
We are also able to provide services in the home or community when a higher level of care (such as more frequent or longer sessions) is needed, or when there are barriers preventing attendance in the office.
Our clinicians use their expertise to identify what kinds of therapies might be a good fit for your family unit, then work with you on developing tools, language, and practices to get you where you want to be. We're here for you each step of the way.
Right Start Takes Referrals - Here's How
Right Start welcomes referrals from pediatric practices, early childhood programs, social service agencies, community partners, and other professionals who work with pregnant people and families with children from birth to age 5. Right Start serves Denver County families and families who can attend services at Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being(opens in new tab).
To make a referral:
- Talk with the family about the concern and confirm they are interested in support.
- Call us at (303) 504-7700 and follow the prompts for Child and Family Services.
- For program or referral process questions, contact Dr. Michelle Roy at michelle.roy@wellpower.org.
Right Start is a recognized partner of the Irving Harris Program in Child Development, with seven Right Start staff members having completed the Irving Harris fellowship since 2012.
Learn more about infant and early childhood mental health
Want to learn more about mental health for our youngest community members? Check out these resources and articles:
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FAQs for Parents
Every child develops at their own pace, and some challenging behaviors can be a normal part of early childhood. It may be time to ask for support when a behavior feels intense, happens often, affects sleep, feeding, connection or daily routines, or leaves you feeling unsure about how to help.
Remember, it's okay to ask for help any time - parenting is hard! We're here to support you on your journey.
Contact Us
To schedule a first-time appointment for your family, contact us by calling (303) 504-7700.
For more information or specific programmatic questions, please email Dr. Michelle Roy at michelle.roy@wellpower.org.
Location
Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being
3401 Eudora St., Denver, CO 80207