Reflections on the Infant Mental Health Endorsement® process in Virginia

This study was conducted to gather information to inform key stakeholders in Virginia's Early Childhood Mental Health workforce who are involved in the Infant Mental Health Endorsement^®. An “Endorsement^® indicates an individual's efforts to specialize in the promotion and practice of infant or early childhood mental health within his/her own chosen discipline” (Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health, 2021). The following research questions guided this study: (1) who is part of the infant mental health endorsed workforce in Virginia; (2) what are the benefits and barriers to the Endorsement^® process. A total of 115 individuals who were or are involved in the Endorsement^® as endorsees or advisors were participants in the study. Participants cited many benefits of obtaining their Infant Mental Health Endorsement^®, including general professional development and connecting to other professionals in the field. Barriers to obtaining the Endorsement^® included time and financial restraints related to obtaining reflective supervision from a qualified Reflective Supervisor. Results from the study will be used to inform the Infant Mental Health Endorsement^® process, and applied to the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement^® in 2023.