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Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® Overview

The Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH) is an interdisciplinary, non-profit professional organization established to nurture and promote the optimal development of infants, toddlers, young children, and families through education, relationship-based training, and advocacy efforts. 

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Endorsement® through VAIMH is intended to recognize experiences that lead to a competency in the infant/early childhood-family field. It does not replace licensure or certification, but instead is meant as evidence of a specialization in this field. Endorsement® is cross-sector and multidisciplinary, including professionals from child and/or human development, education, nursing, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, social work, and others. Endorsement® indicates an individual's efforts to specialize in the promotion and practice of infant or early childhood mental health within his/her own chosen discipline. 

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Earning Endorsement® demonstrates that an individual has completed specialized education, work, in-service training, and reflective supervision/consultation experiences (as defined in Endorsement® criteria) that have led to competency in the promotion and/or practice of infant/early childhood mental health. Endorsement® does not guarantee the ability to practice as a mental health professional, although many who have earned Endorsement® are licensed mental health professionals. 

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Endorsement® offers career paths that focus on principles, best practice skills, and reflective work experiences that lead to increased confidence and credibility. Endorsement® will inform prospective employers, agencies, and peers about culturally sensitive, relationship-focused practice promoting infant/early childhood mental health.

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The categories of endorsement are tied to your scope of practice. 

          

                       Promotion                                   Prevention/Early Intervention                 Clinical Intervention/Treatment

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                                    Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Mentors - Leaders in the IECMH Field (Macro)

 

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Infant/Early Childhood Family Associate (IFA/ECFA): Professionals who work directly with pregnant people, infants, toddlers, young children, and their families, or within a program that supports this population in order to promote optimal social emotional development and/or early relational health. This category includes early care and education providers, administrators, case managers, child welfare staff, healthcare professionals, and more.  

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Infant/Early Childhood Family Specialist (IFS/ECFS): Professionals who work directly with pregnant people, infants, toddlers, young children and their families, or within a program that supports this population in order to prevent relationship disturbances or disorders of infancy/early childhood. This category includes early care and education professionals, home visitors, early intervention providers, mental health consultants, infant-toddler/young child technical assistances, childcare coaches, and more.  

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Infant/Early Childhood Family Reflective Supervisor (IFRS/ECFRS): Professionals whose scope of work falls within the Prevention/Early Intervention field of IECMH, and who serve as mentors, leaders, and providers of reflective supervision/consultation. 

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Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (IMHS/ECMHS): Professionals who work directly with pregnant people, infants, toddlers, young children, and their families, or within a program that supports this population, and  provide treatment and/or intervention when relational disturbances or disorders of infancy and early childhood arise. This category includes infant/young child-parent psychotherapists, private practice therapists, clinical home visitors, other mental health providers, and more. Mental Health Specialists may also be providers of reflective supervision/consultation. [The Mental Health Specialist - Deborah Weatherston, Ph.D.]

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Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Mentor (IMHM/ECMHM): These are Leaders in the field with many years' experience providing reflective supervision or administrative oversight within programs, teaching in higher education settings, shaping policy, and/or conducting research that addresses social emotional development, early relational health and/or the treatment of infants, toddlers, young children, and their caregivers.

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a. Clinical: Leader in infant/early childhood mental health (e.g., I/EC mental health supervisor, trainer, or consultant);

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b. Policy: Leader in policy and/or program administration related to the infant/young child-family field;

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c. Research/Faculty: Leader in university-level teaching and/or published research related to the infant/young child-family field.

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Endorsement® is meant to honor professionals who apply infant and early childhood mental health principles to their practice. It is granted through documentation and verification of the required specialized education, work, in-service training, and reflective supervision/consultation experiences. Endorsement® is not a license, but an overlay that complements one's professional license and/or other credentials. 

Video: What is Endorsement?
**Category Requirements

I/ECMH Endorsement
Category Requirements Overviews

Click on the tabs below to learn more about each endorsement category.

Which Endorsement is Right for You?

**Scope of Work Flow Chart

Application Status Flowchart
Endorsement Application System (EASy)

**Application Status Flowchart

New

Preliminary information has been submitted in EASy.

*No work can be done in the application once  submitted.

Accepted

The Endorsement Coordinator has confirmed:

a. $50 Application Fee Rec'd

b. Current VAIMH Membership c. Applied at correct category

In Progress

Actively working in Application

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(e.g., Education, Trainings, Work, Supervision, etc.)

Submitted

The Application has been completed and submitted for Endorsement consideration.

*No work can be done in the application once submitted.

Review 1

Assigned

The Endorsement Coordinator has assigned the Application to the 1st Reviewer.

Review 1

Complete

The Review has been completed.  Recommendation made to a. Endorse, b. Defer,  c. Endorse at another category,  d. Assign to a 2nd Review.

Review 2

Complete

If applicable, the 2nd Review has been completed.  Recommendation made to a. Endorse, b. Defer, c. Endorse at another category.

Endorsed

(FA, FS, FRS & MHS categories)

The Endorsement Coordinator changes the status to Endorsed when the Applicant has met all Endorsement® requirements, and follows up with email and Endorsement Certificate. 

Exam Waiting

(IMHS, MHM-C,

MHM-P, & MHM-R/F)

Upon demonstration that the Applicant meets all Endorsement® requirements, they are approved to sit for the exam. The Endorsement Coordinator will follow-up with Exam Study Resources.

Endorsed

(MHS, MHM-C,

MHM-P, & MHM-R/F)

Upon passing Part I & Part II of the IECMH-E® exam, the Endorsement Coordinator changes the status to Endorsed and follows up with email and Endorsement Certificate.

Submitted for Renewal

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The Applicant changes the status of their Application in EASy following documentation of annual renewal requirements being met, and pays the $40 Endorsement Renewal Fee.

Endorsed (Renewed)

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Upon demonstration that the Applicant has met all renewal requirements, including VAIMH Membership Renewal ($60), the Endorsement Coordinator changes the status back to Endorsed and follows up with an Endorsement Renewal Certificate.

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