TAIMH: IMH Endorsement


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The Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive Relationship-Based Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health

The TAIMH Endorsement is competency-based and will focus on infants and children from birth to five-years-old and their families. The intent of the TAIMH Endorsement is to recognize the professional development of infant and family service providers within the diverse and rapidly expanding field. Endorsement by the Texas Association for Infant Mental Health will verify that an applicant has attained a specified level of functioning and understanding based on a set of competencies that have been identified and agreed upon by hundreds of professionals, service providers, faculty members and policy makers in the infant, young child and family field.

TAIMH has purchased a license to use the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health system of endorsement. The license permits TAIMH to offer an endorsement at four levels:

Level 1 -Infant Family Associate is intended to target individuals working in Child Care settings, Head Start and Early Head Start;
Level 2 - Infant Family Specialist is intended for ECI, CPS, Therapists, Nurses, Social Workers and other providers;
Level 3 - Infant Mental Health Specialist is intended for graduate level mental health providers;
Level 4 - Infant Mental Health Mentor is intended for program supervisors, policy makers, researchers, physicians and university faculty.

	Level 1 Infant Family Associate	Level 2 Infant Family Specialist	Level 3 Infant Mental Health Specialist	Level 4 Infant Mental Health Mentor
Educational Experience	CDA or Associate Degree	Bachelor Degree	Master's or Ph.D.	Master's, Ph.D., or MD, Ed.D.
Work Experience	2 years Early Childhood	2 years Early Childhood	2 Years Post-Graduate	2 years Post-Graduate
In-Service Training	30 hours	30 hours	30 hours	30 hours
Signed Code of Ethics	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Supervision and/or Consulation	N/A	Minimum 24 clock hours within a 2 year time frame	Minimum 50 clock hours within a 2 year time frame	Minimum 50 clock hours within a 2 year time frame
Reference Ratings	3 (at least 1 must meet requirements for Endorsement and Leve 2, 3, or 4)	3 (at least 1 must meet requirements for Endorsement and Leve 3 or 4)	At least one must meet requirements for Endorsement at Level 3 or 4	At least one must meet requirements for Endorsement at Level 3 or 4
Written Exam	No	No	Yes	Yes
Examples	childcare worker, play group leader, Doula	Early Head Start Home Visitor, ECI Service Coordinator, NICU Nurse, Parent Educator, CPS Worker	CPS Administrator, Clinical Nurse Practitioner, Lactation Consultant, Mental Health Clinician, Child Life Specialist	infant and family program supervisor, administrator, researcher, faculty member, policy specialist, physician
Continuing Requirements	TAIMH Membership 15 hrs professional education annually	TAIMH Membership 15 hrs professional education annually	TAIMH Membership 15 hrs professional education annually	TAIMH Membership 15 hrs professional education annually

Your First Step? Contact the TAIMH office at (972)906-2696 or print out the Preliminary Application and mail it in.

Guidelines for Reflective Supervision (pdf document)
Endorsement Brochure (pdf document)
Preliminary Application (pdf document)
Preliminary Application (Word document)

Texas Association for Infant Mental Health
1199 S. Beltline Road, Suite 100
Coppell, Texas 75019
972-906-2696