Thrive Dispatches Building Community Through Culture (with Jennifer Drake-Croft, Kim Kee, and Charnielle Desiderio)
Jun 10, 2025
In this insightful conversation, Kim Kee, a passionate community advocate from Clacato, Arizona, Charnielle Desiderio, a principal social service representative from Sanders, Arizona, and Jennifer Drake-Croft, an expert in early childhood mental health, delve into the power of culturally grounded partnerships. They discuss the significance of traditional practices like cradleboarding and Positive Diné Parenting in nurturing infants. The trio emphasizes the importance of community collaboration, cultural humility, and adapting mental health initiatives to support the well-being of Indigenous children.
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Early Childhood Mental Health Importance
- Early investment in infants' social and emotional health builds a foundation for lifelong wellbeing.
- Infant and early childhood mental health links physical, social, and community health outcomes.
Community in Indigenous Child-Rearing
- In Indigenous communities, child-rearing extends beyond the nuclear family to a vast community.
- Supporting all adults in a child's environment preserves social and emotional wellness through cultural and trauma-informed care.
Implement Mental Health Consultation
- Provide mental health consultation at multiple levels: parent-child, classroom, and program-wide.
- Observe and coach adults to adapt environments and interactions for child social-emotional support.