Apply for Endorsement
Step 1: Determine Your Endorsement Category
The Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health invites infant and family service providers who work in a variety of ways with infants, toddlers, caregivers and families to consider the KAIMH Endorsement. The endorsement design is inclusive and encourages participation and professional development at multiple levels:
Categories of Endorsement:
Overview of Requirements for Each Category: | Infant Family Associate (IFA) | Infant Family Specialist (IFS) | Infant Mental Health Specialist (IMHS) | Infant Mental Health Mentor (Clinical, Policy, Research/Faculty) |
Educational Degrees Earned | CDA or Associate’s degree or two years early childhood experience, Bachelor’s, Masters or Doctorate | Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctorate | Master’s or Post-Graduate degree | Master’s, Post Graduate, Doctorate, Post Doctorate or MD |
Work Experience | Two years in the infant, early childhood and family field | Two years in the infant, early childhood and family field | Two years post-master’s work in the infant, early childhood and family field | Three years post-master’s work in the infant, early childhood and family field |
In-Service Training | Minimum 30 hours | Minimum 30 hours | Minimum 30 hours | Minimum 30 hours |
Signed Code of Ethics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Reflective Supervision/Consultation | Recommended, not required | 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 at Level 2, 3 or 4) | 3 (at least 1 must meet requirements for Endorsement at Level 2, 3 or 4) | 3 (at least 1 must be from supervisor/ consultant guiding reflective practice) | 3 (clinical leader: at least 1 must be from supervisor/ consultant guiding reflective practice) |
Written Exam | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Step 2: Determine the Fees
Candidates for Endorsement are not required, but are encouraged to become members of the Kansas Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health. Endorsement applicants pay an application fee and an endorsement fee is paid when their portfolio is submitted for review.
Endorsement Fee Schedule
| Timeframe | IFA | IFS | IMHS | IMHM | |
| Endorsement Application Fee | paid at time of Endorsement application | $15 | $15 | $25 | $25 |
| Endorsement Fee | paid when portfolio is submitted | $25 | $50 | $200 | $300 |
| Endorsement Renewal | annually by End of January | $20 | $20 | $35 | $35 |
Step 3: Submit the Application Form and Payment
–Submit Endorsement application and payment in the EASy system, here.
Note: After the application is submitted, the KAIMH Endorsement Coordinator will approve the application if fees and membership are paid and mails a copy of Competency Guidelines to the applicant. The KAIMH Endorsement Coordinator will also assign an Advisor to guide the candidate throughout the application process via EASy.
–Submit the Endorsement Fee when you submit your portfolio in the EASy system.
Reflective Supervision/Consultation:
The primary objectives of reflective supervision/consultation begin with forming a trusting relationship between supervisor and practitioner. This relationship is formed in the establishment of consistent and predictable meetings and times. Through the relationship the supervisor listens to and asks questions of the practitioner that encourage details about the infant, parent and emerging relationship. The supervisor remains emotionally present in order to teach, guide, nurture and support the practitioner. Through applying the integration of emotion and reason, the reflective process is fostered and internalized by the practitioner thus exploring the parallel process and allowing for personal reflection. Together the supervisor and practitioner attend to how reactions to the content affect the process to help young children and their families.
Reflective supervision/consultation may be carried out individually or within a group. For the purposes of this document, reflective supervision/consultation refers specifically to work done in the infant/family field on behalf of the infant/toddler’s primary caregiving relationships. (View the Best Practice For Reflective Supervision article under helpful documents on this page.)
Contact KAIMH for information about Reflective Supervision/Consultation facilitators, locations, and fees at info@kaimh.org.
Competency Guidelines
Click this link to see each category in full detail
Helpful Documents:
Which IMH-E Category is Right for Me?
Discussion of Difference between IFS and IMHS
Getting Started Guide (great for identifying gaps in competencies across the portfolio)