Endorsement

What is Infant Mental Health Endorsement®?

Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health® (Endorsement) is an internationally recognized credential used to demonstrate specialization in the infant-early childhood mental health (IECMH) field. Endorsement supports and recognizes the development of professionals who work with or on behalf of pregnant people, infants, young children (0 up to 6), and their families. The Endorsement credential plays a pivotal role in advancing the crucial field of infant and early childhood mental health. It serves as a benchmark, ensuring that professionals possess the requisite knowledge, skills, and experiences to foster the healthy socio-emotional development and well-being of society's youngest members.

Through the Endorsement credential, professionals are equipped to integrate infant and early childhood mental health principles, such as a relationship-based approach, into their practice. This integration has a profound impact on the early relational health of infants and young children, setting a foundation for lifelong well-being.

The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® (IECMH-E®) framework stands out as one of the foremost and most comprehensive initiatives, both nationally and internationally. It identifies best practice competencies across disciplines and practice settings, offering diverse career pathways for professional development in the fields of infant, early childhood, and family care.

View this brief webinar for an introduction to Endorsement

For additional questions please reach out to Endorsement@moaimh-ec.org

Who can apply?

The Endorsement credential is intended for everyone who applies IECMH principles in their work across the full continuum of promotion, prevention/early intervention, clinical intervention/treatment, and macro scopes of practice. This includes any professional who has experience working with or on behalf of pregnant people, infants, young children, parents, and/or other caregivers.

Why apply for endorsement?

To grow and develop as a professional in the rapidly expanding infant, young child and family field
To be recognized by employers and peers for having attained a level of competency in culturally sensitive, relationship-focused practice that promotes IECMH
To better support the infants, young children, families, students, agencies, and institutions in the promotion of IECMH

What can I do now to support my future endorsement?

Note: MOAIMH-EC’s Endorsement system is not fully open at this time, however, you may consider beginning to build your portfolio by determining what category of Endorsement fits best for you and reviewing the Competency Guidelines to determine where you may require more training. Further, if you are not already receiving Reflective Supervision/Consultation you may consider getting started on those hours.

Identify your scope of work and align that with the category of Endorsement that fits best.
Review the Competencies for Infant Mental Health Endorsement and beginning compiling your previous educational and training experiences that may fit within these guidelines.
The materials supporting MOAIMH-EC Competency Guidelines are copyrighted by the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health (MI-AIMH). The MOAIMH-EC is able to make these materials available to our membership and collaborators through a licensing agreement with the 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.
Register or renew your MOAIMH-EC membership. To be Endorsed in any state, applicants must hold a current membership in any AIMH.