What is Endorsement?

The Competency Guidelines for Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health® (Endorsement) are internationally recognized credentials that support and recognize the development and proficiency of professionals who work with or on behalf of pregnant people, young children, birth up to 6-years old, and their families. Both the Infant Mental Health Endorsement® (IMH-E®) and the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® (ECMH-E®) are based on 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 0 – 3 year olds and their families. ECMH-E® assures that professionals have attained a specific level of expertise with 3 up to 6-year olds 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 spanning the continuum of care. Individuals apply for the Endorsement category that best matches their scope of practice.

Reference Ratings for Endorsement

Reference ratings for Endorsement are critically important.  They are our primary source for documenting an applicant’s skills in the domains of Reflection, Working with Others and Thinking.  Reference rating forms are filled out electronically via EASy.  An Endorsement applicant enters the name and email address of the rater and then the EASy system emails the rater a secure link for completing the form.

Reviewing the questions from the reference rating form is recommended both for applicants and raters.  The questions can be used in a supervision session to mutually assess the applicant’s professional progress.  

Infant / Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®

  • Infant/Early Childhood Family Associate: Promotion. — Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Family Specialist: Prevention — Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Family Reflective Supervisor: Prevention/Reflective Supervision — Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist: Clinical Treatment/Intervention Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Mentor-Clinical: Leadership — Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Policy: Leadership — Learn more

  • Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Research/Faculty (R/F): Leadership — Learn more

  • Endorsed Reflective Supervisor — Learn more

See the requirements for the Infant Mental Health Endorsement® or the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®

Benefits of Endorsement:

  • Good for You: Demonstrates your expertise in working with infants, young children and their families.

  • Good for Babies and Families: Supports infants, toddlers, families, and professionals in a culturally competent, reflective and relationship-based way.

  • Good for Communities: Provides assurance to families, agencies, employers and the public at large that the endorsed professional meets high standards of knowledge and experience.

  • Good for Employers: Verifies that professionals have attained a specified level of expertise and understanding about the promotion of IECMH and relationship-based approaches.

  • Good for the Field: Informs professional development and career planning within an organized framework and creates a competent, high quality workforce leading to desired child/family outcomes.