This Extended Day comprehensive training on DC:0- 5™ Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood provides history and background around the need and development of a specialized diagnostic classification system for infancy and early childhood, approaches in diagnosis from an Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health perspective which is developmentally informed, relationship based, contextual and culturally competent. Participants will learn about the multi-axial approach to diagnosis as well understanding the contents of each axis including Axis I clinical disorders.
This Extended Day format allows clinicians to have in-depth knowledge of the approach and content of DC:0-5 and to practice application of this new nosology with the support of peers and Expert Faculty through activities and case-based learning which support their use of the many tools included in DC:0-5.
In the full day section of the training, clinicians will learn content, approach and key highlights of each of the axes in DC:0-5 in diagnostic classification. There will be activities, video clips and case based discussions to apply the knowledge shared. The evening session will focus on the use of a full case report in having clinicians formulate a multiaxial, diagnostic summary using DC:0-5. Discussions around differential diagnosis and comorbidity will be included in this portion of the training.
Dr. Gerard Costa is the founding director of the Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health and Professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Literacy Education, in the College of Education and Human Services at Montclair State University. Dr. Costa currently serves on the Advisory Board of the New Jersey Child Assault Prevention (NJCAP) Program and is a Member and Past President of the New Jersey Association for Infant Mental Health (NJ-AIMH).