Application and Testing.
We look forward to supporting you on your path to Endorsement®!
If you have any questions or need assistance with your registration, please contact us at endorsement@or-imha.org
Step 1. Become a ORIMHA member:
If you are already a member then provide confirmation of current membership in another infant mental health association.
Otherwise click here to become a member.
Step 2. Determine which Endorsement® is best for you:
Determine which Endorsement is best for you: IMH-E® or ECMH-E®. Click here for the Endorsement® guide at a glance. If you haven’t please check out our competency guidelines to determine which category is the best fit for you.
Step 3. Determine which Endorsement® category is right for you:
This will be based on your scope of practice: promotion, prevention/early intervention, clinical intervention/treatment, or macro. Click here for the Endorsement® guide at a glance.
Step 4. Register on EASy:
This is the ORIMHA web-based system for compiling applications for Endorsement®. The first time you visit EASy, select “Register” under “New Applicant” Note: We strongly recommend using your personal email when you register, as the automated emails from our EASy system can sometimes end up in Junk or Spam folders when using your work email. We also recommend adding the following email addresses to your contacts list: endorsement@or-imha.org and easy@mi-aimh.org.
To register, EASy requires you to answer a few short questions. Complete and submit, including payment of the EASy Registration Fee
Log into EASy using the username and password issued to you via email from EASy and begin to prepare your application!
Some tips: Click the “save” button on the screen after you upload your resume to ensure it is retained.
Step 5. Work on your application:
Contact the Endorsement Coordinator for support at endorsement@or-imha.org
Step 6. Submit your application and processing fee:
Pay the Registration Fee through Stripe at the time of submission, or write a note that you are sending a check in the mail. We recommend you use Stripe if at all possible.
Contact the Endorsement Coordinator for support at endorsement@or-imha.org
Download our fillable form below to create an invoice for your Endorsement fees.
Step 7. Your application will undergo a review:
Your application will undergo an application review. For Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist & Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Mentor applicants, you’ll also need to successfully pass an Endorsement exam. Applicants will be invited to sit for exam upon successful review of their portfolio application. See more exam information below*
Your registration will be complete once we have received verification of your current infant mental health association membership and your registration payment has been received.
We will email you if we have questions and to let you know once your registration is approved. While our goal is to process registrations within two days, depending on volume it may take up to a week for ORIMHA to complete your initial registration review.
Step 8. Endorsement! Proudly use your Endorsement®:
Your Endorsement credential tells employers, parents, health and legal practitioners, and insurance providers that you have expertise related to the social and emotional development of infants and young children in families!
*The Endorsement® Exam.
Infant Mental Health Specialist, Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, Infant Mental Health Mentor, and Early Childhood Mental Health Mentor Endorsement applicants must pass an exam prior to earning Endorsement. The exam has two parts; both are based on the Competency Guidelines.
Applicants are encouraged to engage their provider of RSC to think together about the applicant’s professional journey, capacity for reflection, and understanding of parallel process all in relation to readiness for the exam. The paper version of the reference rating form can be used to solicit feedback related to knowledge and skill areas of the competencies. If you are interested in reviewing PDF versions of the reference rating items with your RSC provider, you can see them here. If gaps in knowledge are identified, use the resource list to identify readings that will fulfill the gaps. If the provider of RSC expresses reservations related to the capacity to apply IECMH principles into practice, the applicant is encouraged to continue with RSC and the on-going assessment of skills in the areas of Reflection, Thinking, and Working with Others.
Part One (60 Multiple Choice Questions – 90 minutes):
The multiple-choice, or quantitative, section is primarily focused on infant and early childhood mental health knowledge specific to work with infants, young children, and their families. Most questions will be related to direct service, but there will be some questions related to reflective supervision/consultation, policy, and research. The multiple-choice section is the same for all Specialist and Mentor applicants. Knowledge gained through course work, specialized in-service training, and self-study will be most useful in this section of the exam. IMH-E® applicants are expected to have knowledge on pregnant people, infants, young children (up to age 3), and families. ECMH-E® applicants are expected to have knowledge on pregnant people infants, young children (up to age 6), and families.
Part Two (Vignettes – 90 minutes):
The qualitative section will ask for responses to vignettes. This section is intended to measure the applicant’s capacity to apply their knowledge of IECMH principles into practice and to demonstrate a reflective, relationship-based approach. While all of the competency areas are important, the ones under the Reflection, Thinking, and Working with Others domains are important to the qualitative section for Specialists and Mentors - Clinical.
The Administration domain is the primary focus of the Policy exam. Policy applicants are asked to demonstrate a capacity to promote IECMH principles and practices within and across systems.
The Research & Evaluation domain is the primary focus of the Research/Faculty exam. In the Research/Faculty exam, one scenario is more specific to teaching; the other scenario is more specific to empirical research. Research/Faculty applicants will demonstrate a commitment to IECMH principles and practices related to research or course planning and instruction.
Endorsement Fees:
Infant Family Associate — Registration $15; Processing $25
Infant Family Specialist — Registration $20; Processing $100
Infant Family Reflective Supervisor — Registration $25; Processing $200
Infant Mental Health Specialist — Registration $25; Processing $300
Infant Mental Health Mentor (Clinical) — Registration $25; Processing $400
Infant Mental Health Mentor (Policy) — Registration $25; Processing $400
Infant Mental Health Mentor (Research/Faculty) — Registration $25; Processing $400