The Infant Mental Health Endorsement® (IMH-E®) and the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® (ECMH-E®) are a set of competencies designed to support and enhance culturally sensitive, relationship focused practice within the framework of infant and early childhood mental health. An Endorsement applicant demonstrates acquisition of these competencies through education, work, specialized training, and reflective supervision experiences.

Working with our youngest citizens requires specialized training and experience, and IMH-E® ensures professionals have attained a certain level of expertise with children ages 0–3 years old and their families.  ECMH-E® assures that professionals have attained a specific level of expertise with children between the ages of 3 and 6 years old and their families.  Both IMH-E® and ECMH-E® are relevant for professionals across disciplines including early care and education, prevention and early intervention, home visitation, medicine, child welfare, mental health, policy, academia, and others.

Endorsement is available across four practice specialties (Promotion, Prevention/Early Intervention, Clinical Intervention/Treatment, Macro). Individuals apply for the Endorsement category that best matches their scope of practice.

Infant Mental Health Endorsement®

• Infant Family Associate: Promotion

• Infant Family Specialist and Infant Family Reflective Supervisor: Prevention/Early Intervention

• Infant Mental Health Specialist: Clinical Intervention/Treatment

• Infant Mental Health Mentor: Macro

Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®

• Early Childhood Family Associate: Promotion

• Early Childhood Family Specialist and Early Childhood Family Reflective Supervisor: Prevention/Early Intervention

• Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist: Clinical Intervention/Treatment

• Early Childhood Mental Health Mentor: Macro