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Endorsement connects your professional experiences with a set of competencies that recognize your infant and/or early childhood mental health expertise. Professionals pursuing an Endorsement designation complete specialized education, work, in-service training and reflective supervision/consultation in a specific category.

Have questions about Endorsement or determining which category is right for you? Contact Endorsement Coordinator, Lacretia Powell, at endorsement@scimha.org.

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Family Associate

Scope: Promotion

Who: Doula, Midwife, Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Lactation Consultant, Early Childhood Educator, Early Head/Head Start Teacher, Program Administrator, Home Visitor, Pediatric Health Care Provider, Early Intervention Provider, Other

Support the mental health development of the children you serve by promoting healthy relationships with their caregivers.

  • Use a strengths-based perspective and reinforce positive parent-child interactions.
  • Recognize needs and make appropriate referrals.
  • Share with families an understanding of relationship development.
  • Demonstrate respect for the uniqueness of each client family’s culture.
  • Establish trusting relationships with the families you serve.

Family Specialist

Scope: Prevention

Who: Early Intervention Provider, Infant/Toddler Coach, Home Visitor, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, Child Welfare Case Manager, Other

Mitigate barriers to the development of positive mental health in young children by giving attention to the primary adult relationships surrounding that child.

  • Help parent’s see the infant/young child as a person.
  • Recognize risks and disorders of infancy/early childhood and make appropriate referrals.
  • Share with families an understanding and appreciation of family relationship development.
  • Help parents recognize factors that constitute effective parenting of infants/young children.
  • Help families anticipate, obtain and advocate for concrete needs and other services from public agencies and community resources.

Mental Health Specialist

Scope: Treatment

Who: Parent-Infant Psychotherapist, Parent- Child Psychotherapist, Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, Private Practice Therapist, Other

Provide culturally sensitive, relationship-focused infant and/or early childhood mental health treatment services intended to explicitly address issues related to attachment, separation, trauma and unresolved grief and loss as they affect the attachment relationship, development, behavior and care of the young child.

  • Accurately interpret information from informal and formal observations and assessments to identify capacities and strengths as well as developmental delays and/or emotional disturbances in infants and young children served.
  • Develop service plans that take into account the unique needs, desires, history, lifestyle, concerns, strengths, resources, cultural community and priorities of each infant/young child and family.
  • Effectively implement relationship-focused therapeutic parent-infant/young child interventions that enhance the capacities of parents and infants/young children.

Mental Health Mentor-Clinical

Scope: Treatment & Leadership

Who: Parent-Infant Psychotherapist, Parent-Child Psychotherapist, Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, Private Practice Therapist, Reflective Supervision Provider, Other

Provide culturally sensitive, relationship-focused, infant and/or early childhood mental health treatment services intended to explicitly address issues related to attachment, separation, trauma and unresolved grief and loss as they affect the attachment relationship, development, behavior and care of the young child. Be recognized as an infant and early childhood mental health leader in your community.

  • Accurately interpret information from informal and formal observations and assessments to identify capacities and strengths as well as developmental delays and/or emotional disturbances in infants and young children served.
  • Effectively implement relationship-focused, therapeutic parent-infant/young child interventions that enhance the capacities of parents and infants/young children.
  • Provide reflective supervision/consultation to infant and/or early childhood mental health professionals.
  • Mentor novice practitioners, students, clients and other colleagues to develop infant and early childhood mental health skills.

Mental Health Mentor-Policy

Scope: Policy, Administration & Leadership

Who: Executive Director, State Administrator, Program Director, Other

Become a leader in policy and/or program administration related to the promotion of infant and early childhood mental health principles and practices, in the context of family and other caregiving relationships, in and across systems and other leadership activities at the local, regional and/or state level.

  • Support parent-infant/young child relationship-based therapies and practices to explore issues including attachment, separation, trauma and loss that affect the development and care of the infant/young child.
  • Facilitate monitoring and evaluation of service process and outcomes.
  • Develop or impact policy and practice intended to increase the extent or effectiveness of infant and early childhood mental health interventions.
  • Understand and make effective use of federal, state and agency funding, contracting and reporting requirements to enhance service availability and effectiveness.

Mental Health Mentor-Research/Faculty

Scope: Research, Teaching & Leadership

Who: Faculty Member, Researcher, Other

Become a leader in university-level teaching and/or published research related to infant and early childhood mental health principles and practices, in the context of family and other caregiving relationships, and other leadership activities at the local, regional and/or state level.

  • Support parent-infant/young child relationship-based therapies and practices to explore issues including attachment, separation, trauma and loss that affect the development and care of the infant/young child.
  • Write articles and books on infant and early childhood mental health principles and practice.
  • Promote research projects intended to increase the body of knowledge about infant and early childhood mental health, early development and effective interventions.
  • Generate research that reflects cultural competence in the infant and early childhood-family field.