IMPORTANT: Beginning January 1, 2018, all new Endorsement applicants are required to receive all RC/S hours from an Endorsed provider in order to meet the requirements for Endorsement. Additional details, frequently asked questions, and other supporting documents can be found here. Please direct all questions to CoAIMH’s Endorsement Coordinator.
Overview of the Infant Mental Health Endorsement®
The Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health (IMH-E ®) is not a license or certification, but rather an overlay onto a person’s professional credentials that recognizes achievement of knowledge and training in the area of infant and early childhood mental health. The Endorsement is one of the first and most comprehensive efforts in the country to identify best practice competencies at multiple levels and across disciplines and to offer a pathway for professional development in the infant, early childhood and family field. For more information, contact CoAIMH’s Endorsement Coordinator kristin@coaimh.org.
Why earn the Infant Mental Health Endorsement®?
The Endorsement materials provide potential candidates with a process for developing a professional development plan, and suggests a ladder of steps for required and supplementary training and experiences to adequately prepare one for work in the infant and family field. Targeted and ongoing training for the professionals from the multiple disciplines that work with infants and young children and their families is essential to ensure that professionals understand infant and early childhood mental health and are equipped to promote positive practices to support these children, prevent problems when risk is identified, and intervene when necessary.
Who can Apply for Infant Mental Health Endorsement®?
Professionals eligible for endorsement range from those who have worked in the early childhood field for at least two years to those who have received a doctorate in their field. Each level of Endorsement has a set of educational, work, training and reflective supervision/consultation requirements. For all levels, specialized work experience with infants, toddlers and their families is required.
COAIMH is an active member of The Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health™(formerly known as League of States). COAIMH has licensed the use of the Competency Guidelines® and Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® from the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health with the propose of supporting infant mental health professionals across Colorado.*
*Copyright protection of Competency Guidelines®: The materials supporting CoAIMH’s Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health® are copyrighted by the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health (MI-AIMH). CoAIMH is able to make these materials available to our membership and collaborators through a licensing agreement with MI-AIMH.
Copyright law does allow individuals to print out or make ONE copy of copyrighted material for personal, non-commercial purposes only. None of the copyrighted, endorsement documents included here may be reproduced, displayed, distributed or otherwise used in any format, including electronically, without the express written consent of MI-AIMH. Legal action will be taken against those who violate the copyright.