The Infant Toddler Mental Health Coalition of Arizona
The Infant Toddler Mental Health Coalition of Arizona
Endorsement® for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health is an internationally recognized credential that supports and recognizes the development and proficiency of professionals who work with or on behalf of pregnant women, infants and young children, birth up to 3-years old, and their families. The ITMHCA Infant Mental Health Endorsement® (IMH-E®) is based on a set of competencies designed to support and enhance culturally-sensitive, relationship focused practice within the framework of infant 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 to 3 year-olds and their families. IMH-E® is 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 five different practice specialties spanning the continuum of care. Individuals apply for the Endorsement® category that best matches their scope of practice.
Infant Mental Health Endorsement®
ITMHCA gratefully acknowledges support from the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for the creation of the Endorsement® materials, and from the Lodestar Foundation to initially fund Arizona implementation.
ITMHCA is a member of the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health. The Alliance includes infant mental health associations who offer the Endorsement® credential. The Alliance consists of 33 states/provinces (as of July 2020) and growing. See the members of the Alliance here.
ITMHCA Endorsement® decisions are not made on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, marital status, physical handicap, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law.
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