About This Program
The Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health ECHO is a learning community for pediatric primary care providers and allied health professionals caring for young children with developmental, emotional, and behavioral health concerns.
Participants develop knowledge and practical strategies to support the identification, assessment, and management of developmental and behavioral health conditions in children ages 0–8.
Each session includes a brief didactic presentation and a participant-presented case discussion in an interactive, "all teach, all learn" environment. Participants are encouraged to submit de-identified patient cases for group discussion and learning.
This program includes:
- Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health ECHO – a twice-monthly series with priority outreach to providers serving children and families in Carroll, Cecil, and Harford Counties.
- Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health Alumni ECHO – a separate program designed for returning participants seeking continued learning, peer support, and case consultation.
Hub Team
Amie Bettencourt, PhD
Megan E. Bone, MD
Joyce Harrison, MD
Vanessa Howells, MD
Mallory Legg, Esq.
Mary Leppert, MB BCh
Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships
Johns Hopkins University adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Program Options
Early Childhood Development and Mental Health ECHO
Target Audience: Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, and early childhood specialists. Priority outreach focuses on providers serving children and families in Carroll, Cecil, and Harford Counties. Providers from other Maryland jurisdictions are also welcome to participate as space permits.
Schedule: Second and fourth Tuesdays, September 2026–June 2027, 12:00–1:00 PM ET.
Early Childhood Development and Mental Health Alumni ECHO
Target Audience: Returning participants who have previously participated in a Kennedy Krieger Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health ECHO program.
Purpose: Continued case consultation, peer learning, and discussion of developmental and behavioral health topics.
Schedule: First Tuesday of each month, October 2026-June 2027, 12:00-1:00 PM ET.
Participation Platform
Both ECHO programs are hosted on the iECHO platform. Registrants will receive an email invitation to create an iECHO account and join their selected program. Sessions are conducted via Zoom and accessed through the iECHO platform.
A short training video is available on how to register in iECHO, and additional support can be found through the iECHO Help Center.
Post-Test
Those interested in earning ABP MOC Part 2 credits through their participation must complete the post-test questions with a passing score of 75% within 3 attempts.
Continuing Education Credit Information
- Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health ECHO
- Maryland Early Childhood Development and Mental Health Alumni ECHO
Funding
Contact
For more information, contact ProjectECHO@KennedyKrieger.org.