Background
In August 1996, The Link to Children (TLC), Inc. was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by a board of dedicated early childhood education and mental health professionals, Ann Copenhagen, Eric Peterson, Katrina Ross, Christina Shea, Hugo Lucero, and others, under the leadership of Grace Manning-Orenstein, PH.D., LMFT.

Dr. Manning-Orenstein, now the Executive Director, had learned from first hand experience at her Montessori school, Montessori Children's Community of Oakland, that the economic pressures and cultural forces of the past thirty years were changing the way families cared for their children. In many cases both parents now worked outside of the home. Because of the high divorce rate many children were being raised in single-parent homes. The number of children in childcare and family care homes had increased to over 13,000,000 in the United States. These numbers were about to expand dramatically with the influx of children of welfare-to-work mothers.

Additionally, the early childhood population was becoming increasingly diverse. A recent survey of Alameda County showed that 66% of youth ages 17 and under came from families of color. Of these children 17.6% live in poverty; 33% of them below 185% of the poverty level.

Developmental disparities as a result of economic disadvantages become apparent prior to kindergarten and are known to negatively affect later school performance.   To address these inequities, Dr. Manning-Orenstein and the Board of Directors developed an on-site, early intervention mental health model that places mental health interns in child development centers to provide support for young children and the families and teachers who are raising them.

TLC piloted its model program with the help of Phyllis Gorelick, a Registered Marriage, Family Therapist Intern, in collaboration with the Association of Children's Services located in the Fruitvale District of East Oakland.   After successfully launching this site Eric Peterson and Katrina Ross, past presidents, led the organization in expanding services at six other child development centers in Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley funded by the State of California to serve low-income, high-risk families with children 0 - 5 years of age. The mental health interns who worked at these centers were instrumental in establishing the TLC model, as were the centers that welcomed them.

TLC interns now provide up to 3400 hours a year of early intervention services to the families of our eleven centers. They collaborate with parents, preschool teachers, administrators, and community agencies in support of the healthy emotional development of young children. TLC has a Clinical Supervision Team who supervise the mental health interns. Reflecting diversity in both experience and culture, the Clinical Supervisors are David Akullian, L.M.F.T., Rosario Murga-Kusnir, L.M.F.T., Lori Wensley, Ph.D., and Barbara Williams, L.C.S.W. Sandra Luna, Program Manager, gives program support to the centers. The Administrative Assistant supports the TLC interns and office, provides translation services for Spanish-speaking clients and outreach into the Latino community. Each center has a play therapy room where the intern provides 14 hours a week of on-site services to the children, parents and teachers.

TLC also presents three trainings a year for the early childhood educational community. These trainings integrate early childhood educational concepts with early childhood mental health concepts. They are: Managing Child Behavior in Social Settings ; Maintaining Positive Professional Relationships in Early Childhood Environments ; and The Psychology of the Family: how to work with parents of difficult children .

Today, The Link to Children (TLC), Inc. is one of four agencies funded by Every Child Counts First Five to partner in the development of mental health services for all children five and under in Alameda County. In addition, through the Early Opportunities Learning Act TLC is partnering with Safe Passages of Oakland to provide services to two South Alameda County child development centers. Also, TLC has just opened a new play therapy office at the Alameda County Family Justice Center in Oakland, a one-stop service center for victims of domestic violence and their children.