The first years of life are critical for infants and young children as they are reaching developmental milestones. Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) “is the developing capacity of the infant/young child to form close and secure relationships; experience, manage, and express a full range of emotions; and explore the environment and learn—all in the context of family, community, and culture.” Sometimes infants and young children may experience mental health conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young children from ages three to five experienced anxiety, depression, and behavior disorders (2.2 percent, 0.1 percent, and 4.6 percent respectively) from 2018-2019.
When infants and young children suffer from mental health challenges, professionals within the IECMH field can help them and their families overcome or manage these conditions. However, there are various credentials IECMH professionals can pursue to enhance their skills to ensure that they are serving infants, young children, and families effectively. The paper explores and presents a comparison analysis between the Ohio Infant Mental Health (IMH) Credential, the Ohio Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Credential, and the Endorsement.
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