Endorsement Requirements and Competencies

Endorsement Categories
There are five categories of Endorsement. They are designed to target different professional areas within the infant-family field. See the Endorsement designations outlined below, and click on each one for a corresponding chart of specific requirements and competencies.

  • Infant Family Associate:  This designation is intended to target individuals working in child-care settings, child care directors, advocates, professionals without an advanced degree working on policy change, case managers, intake specialists, Head Start and Early Head Start*
  • Infant Family Specialist :  This designation is intended for ECI, CPS, therapists, nurses, social workers, and other providers*
  • Infant Family Reflective Supervisor: This designation is intended for individuals who provide Infant Family Specialist services AND provide Reflective Supervision/ Consultation to Infant Family Specialists.
  • Infant Mental Health Specialist :  This designation is intended for graduate level mental health providers who provide therapeutic services*
  • Infant Mental Health Mentor:  There are 3 additional designations listed within the Infant Mental Health Mentor designation: Clinical (C), Policy (P), and Research/Faculty (R/F). These designations target professionals with advanced degrees who have experience providing infant mental health reflective supervision and other leadership (C), who are leaders in policy and/or program administration related to the infant-family field (P), or are leaders in university-level teaching and/or published research related to the infant-family field (R/F).*

*Please note that these are only examples of the types of jobs a provider may have at this designation. This is not an exhaustive list. Moreover, these designations are not meant to act as a hierarchy, but rather as categories to organize the wide range of occupations that exist in this field. Providers are encouraged to contact First3Years’ Endorsement coordinator with questions Endorsement@first3yearstx.org

 

 

  Infant Family Associate Infant Family Specialist Infant Family Reflective Supervisor Infant Mental Health Specialist Infant Mental Health Mentor

Work Experience

Any academic degree OR minimum of 2 years of infant/ early childhood-related work or volunteer experience in an applicable role Minimum of 2 years of prevention and/or early intervention service to 0-36 month olds & their families; served a minimum of 10 families Minimum of 2 years of prevention and/or early intervention service to 0-36 month olds & their families; served a minimum of 10 families AND provider of IMH RSC for 1+ years
Minimum 2 years post Master’s, infant mental health practice working on behalf of the caregiver-infant relationship Minimum 3 years post Master’s, paid, as a practice leader in the infant mental health field in one of the 3 designation areas

Clinical only: also meet the IMHS work requirements
Educational Experience No degree required No degree required No degree required Masters or post-graduate degree Masters or post-graduate degree
In-Service Training

Minimum 30 hours, average 40 hours

Minimum 30 hours, average 50 hours

Minimum 48 hours, average 75 hours

Minimum of 15 hours must be about the provision of RSC AND Minimum of 3 hours must be about diversity, equity, and inclusion in IMH

Minimum 30 hours, average 75 hours

Minimum 33 hours

Clinical only: Minimum 48 hours, average 75 hours

Minimum of 3 hours must be about diversity, equity and inclusion in IMH

Clinical only: Minimum of 15 hours must be about the provision of RSC

Reflective Supervision

Not required Minimum 24 clock hours while providing IFS services to infants, toddlers & families

Minimum 24 clock hours while providing IFS services to infants, toddlers & families and/or while providing supervision to staff who are providing IFS services to infants, young children and their families
AND
Minimum of 12 hours of RSC received about the RSC that the applicant provides to others

Minimum 50 clock hours while providing IMHS services to infants, toddlers & families

Clinical only: Minimum 50 hours while providing IMHS services to infants, toddlers & families. A minimum of 25 hours of the RSC received should be about the RSC that the applicant provides to others

Reference Ratings Three Three Three Three Three 

Code of Ethics

Signed Signed Signed Signed Signed

Endorsement Agreement

Signed Signed Signed Signed Signed

Membership in First3Years

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Professional Application

Candidate will submit a professional application on EASy (Endorsement Application System) that demonstrates that he/she has met both the requirements and the competencies specified at each level. Candidate will submit a professional application on EASy (Endorsement Application System) that demonstrates that he/she has met both the requirements and the competencies specified at each level. Candidate will submit a professional application on EASy (Endorsement Application System) that demonstrates that he/she has met both the requirements and the competencies specified at each level. Candidate will submit a professional application on EASy (Endorsement Application System) that demonstrates that he/she has met both the requirements and the competencies specified at each level. Candidate will submit a professional application on EASy (Endorsement Application System) that demonstrates that he/she has met both the requirements and the competencies specified at each level.

Written Exam

No No No Yes Yes

Application Fee

$15 $15 $20 $25 $25

Processing Fee

$25 $50 $60 $200 $300