Early Childhood Mental Health VA (ECMHVA)

Partnership for People with Disabilities

Steps to Apply for Virginia’s Infant Mental Health Endorsement® 

The Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health currently accepts Endorsement applications once per year. The deadline to apply is April 15th. Applicants will be notified of an acceptance decision by May 31st. Those accepted will begin the process in July.

*Note: Information on the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® (ECMH-E®) will be forthcoming.

  1. Obtain your Supervisor’s approval to pursue your IMH Endorsement.
  2. Review and Print the Infant Mental Health Endorsement® Steps to Apply document for an overview of the education and work requirements for each of the 4 categories of IMH Endorsement in order to find the category that most closely aligns with your education and work experience. 
  3. Review the Endorsement for Culturally Sensitive, Relationship-Focused Practice Promoting Infant Mental Health Competency Guidelines for more detailed information for each category. 
  4. Update your resume so it is ready to upload with your application.
  5. Join the Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH). The Endorsement requires that you are a member of your state’s Association for Infant Mental Health and that you remain a member as part of the renewal requirements. To join VAIMH, please click here: VAIMH Annual Membership. (The membership year is from January 1 to December 31.)
  6. Submit your application in the online Endorsement Application System (EASy): https://vaimh.myeasy.org 
  7. Your application will undergo an application review. Applicants will be notified of an acceptance decision by May 31st. Those accepted will begin the process in July. 
  8. An Advisor will be assigned to all new Endorsees to assist in the Endorsement process.
  9. Proudly use your VAIMH Endorsement credential to tell 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 and their families! 

For questions or assistance, please contact:
Pam Booker, M.Ed., Infant Family Specialist, IMH-E®
Virginia Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement Coordinator
vaendorsement@vcu.edu