Continuum of care
Coordinated and ongoing care delivery across providers and care teams encompassing a range of services to promote optimal health and mental health outcomes.

Community-based participatory research
A collaborative research approach that equitably involves community members, researchers, and other stakeholders in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each bring (Collins et al., 2018).

Evidence-based programs
Programs, practices, activities, policies, procedures, and interventions that are guided by the best research evidence with practice-based expertise, evaluation, cultural competence, and the values of the persons receiving the services and that promote positive individual-level or population-level outcomes(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024).

Evidence-informed
Approach, program, or practice that blends knowledge from research, real-world practice, and local knowledge but has not had the benefit of full or robust evaluation(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024).

Historically oppressed/marginalized communities
Groups that have experienced systemic and sustained mistreatment and discrimination based on cultural identity or difference.

Mental health literacy
Knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management,or prevention. This includes knowledge about risk factors and causes, knowledge about self-help interventions, knowledge of professional help that is available, and attitudes that facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking. (Sampaio et al., 2022)

Social-emotional development
Social development refers to a child’s ability to create and sustain meaningful relationships with adults and other children. Emotional development is a child’s ability to express, recognize, and manage his or her emotions, as well as respond appropriately to others’ emotions (HeadStart.gov)