The PA Early Childhood Mental Health Advisory Committee was established in 2008 by Estelle Richman, Secretary of the PA Department of Public Welfare to "Ensure that coordinated and effective mental health services are available for all young children across the commonwealth."

OCD staff were appointed and have been active in developing recommendations for the Secretary, drawing upon the lessons learned from OCD’s ECMH Consultation Project, Early Head Start, and international orphanage projects.