February 2026 Newsletter
Updates From Us
We're thrilled to share some exciting updates on all the great things happening at Oregon Infant Mental Health Association (ORIMHA) this month.
Spark connection.
In case you missed it, we’d love for you to view and share our short film, Spark Connection. ORIMHA developed this film to share our mission of supporting high quality connections for young children—a project near and dear to our hearts.
A warm welcome.
This month, ORIMHA would like to welcome Angelica M. Molina Alvarez to the team. Angelica is ORIMHA’s new Mentor Consultant and Bilingual/Bicultural Endorsement Coordinator! Please read Angelica’s introduction below:
Hello! I am delighted to return to ORIMHA and to continue contributing to the work that means so much to me. In my role as Mentor Consultant and Bilingual/Bicultural Endorsement Coordinator, I provide relationship-based guidance to RSPs and support Endorsement applicants across our state in both English and Spanish. I hold a Master of Science in Early Childhood Special Education and a PostGraduate Certificate in Infant Mental Health from Portland State University. For more than 25 years, I have worked in early childhood education in a variety of roles, most recently serving as the Early Head Start Home-Based Program Supervisor. My deep passion for reflective supervision and culturally responsive practice is what brought me back to ORIMHA. I am committed to strengthening reflective spaces, elevating bilingual and bicultural perspectives, and building meaningful support for the communities we serve.
Angelica M. Molina Alvarez, M.S. ECIED, IMHE® Infant Family Reflective Supervisor
Reflective Supervision/Consultation Groups.
ORIMHA is excited to announce a new project in partnership with the Oregon Department of Early Learning and ODE to build capacity for Reflective Supervision/Consultation across the State! Please see the flyer below for more details.
Training opportunity.
REMINDER!
ORIMHA has partnered with ZERO TO THREE to offer the DC:05 Clinical Training Series
$200 for the 3 day series
Limited seats available!
Please see the flyer below for more information about this training opportunity.
To purchase the DC:05 Clinical, click here.
Please email andrea@or-imha.org with questions.
Every Child Belongs.
The system through which teachers, childcare providers, and programs request support is known as Every Child Belongs (ECB) Connect. On this site, there are links (in Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese) that lead to a brief survey. Those surveys are directed to regional partners who follow up to requests in 1-2 business days with a phone interview known as the Welcome Consultation (WC). Regional responders who conduct the WC are Technical Assistance (TA) Providers, Inclusion Specialists, or Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultants - all trained in a trauma-informed, relational, and compassionate approach. They gather enough information during the call to determine if targeted TA or IECMH consultation is the best fit for the situation.
At this stage of the initiative, two regional phases of the ECB Connect launch are underway. A third phase kicks off in March (see map). In addition to supporting the implementation of IECMH consultation (by supporting administrators, supervisors, and IECMH consultants), ORIMHA has played a key role in the guidelines for conducting the WC and training the regional responders who carry it out, including how to decide which type of support is the most appropriate. DELC has responded to feedback from regional responders in Phases 1 and 2, and in collaboration with ORIMHA, is preparing to roll out improvements to the WC in March.
Save the date.
ORIMHA is excited to share that we will be hosting the 2026 Reflective Supervision Symposium in partnership with the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health. Please see the flyer below for more information.
Endorsement.
Got questions about Endorsement, Reflective Supervision, or Competency Guidelines? Join Angelica for additional office hours on the 2nd Saturday’s each month, from 10 AM–12 PM and 2nd Thursday’s each month, from 10 AM–12 PM
No registration—just drop in, connect, and get your questions answered! Click Here to join
Congratulations are in order!
Congratulations to our new endorsees:
Noriko Baldwin, IMH-E®, Infant Family Specialist, Endorsed Reflective Supervisor *earning the ERS add-on
Shannon Malusevic, ECMH-E®, Early Childhood Family Associate
Michelle Moughty, IMH-E®, Infant Family Specialist
Be a voice for babies, families, and the community.
Make a donation today.
Training and Events:
Contact Us:
Membership and Training Support: andrea@or-imha.org
Endorsement Support: endorsement@or-imha.org